I Won't Dance
by x-Whizzified-Magic-x
Summary: Their kiss was simple. She thought of it as a promise. But Camille feels that Moose is holding back. When was he going to learn that a relationship isn't as simple as one of his hat tricks? Moose/Camille Jason/OC. Please read and review.
1. Burn

**A/N: Hello, fellow readers! I have decided to write another Step Up fanfic, having seen Step Up 3D a couple of weeks ago. The dancing in that movie was AMAZING! The acting was what you would expect from a dance movie and I was really bothered by the constant plot holes. What I did like, was the relationship Moose and Camille had. It was more realistic than the one in Step Up 2: The Streets, with Moose and Sophie. And, tWitch was ADORABLE! "Can I kiss somebody right now?" SO CUTE! Which is why this will be a Jason/OC fic also. Their relationship will play a huge part in Moose/Camille's.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

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"Moose!" A soft ripple of musical laughter escaped her. His small-calloused hands acted as a blindfold while he maneuvered her body with his own. Nervous tension dissipated beneath the familiar excitement, the hope that spread thorough her veins, as warm and inviting as the late-fall night. "Where are you taking me?"

His hands disappeared from her vision and unnoticed by him, her smile faltered. The front entrance of The Vault proved to be less than satisfactory for their first official date in almost three weeks. "Moose..." Camille didn't want to say what had to be said. This was why she had felt the way she did on the night of the dorm Halloween party. Her, feeling as though she was insignificant in his busy life. Always seemingly left behind because of some kind of commitment, it had been this way for the years she'd known him. Sadly, as long as they were going to be together, this new loyalty with the Pirates would always have to come first.

"Cammie," After a deep breath, he faced her. His glittering gaze pierced the darkness, holding her captive. Voice rough edged, almost desperate, he whispered, "I know, Chameleon. I _totally_ forgot about Anala's birthday thing and made plans with you. Please, honey," He reached down, taking her trembling hand, and holding it close to his heart. "I promise, I'll make it up to you."

Her brown eyes warmed, the irritation melted away by his sincerity. She loved the way he called her _honey_. It meant that she was unique to him, special. He didn't go around using endearments with anyone else, not even as a joke. "Its fine, Moose. Water under the bridge."

"Are you sure? You ain't gonna throw me over or something?"

"Moose!"

He cupped her face in his hands, gazing into her brown eyes that he swore sparkled gold when she laughed. "Just kidding, jeez!" He rubbed his nose against hers and she giggled. "But, I'm still getting use to _us_. So, please be patient with me." Moose kissed her forehead. He wanted to get use to the idea of them being _together_, not as _best friends_ but as a _couple_.

"Okay, you big dummy," she pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, her heart fluttering at the contact, and then eased herself away and he let her go. She smiled, a beautiful happy, white tooth, lips bowed lusciously grin. "Let's do this!"

"Hell yeah!"

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Humidity was making his wife beater and black cargo pants stick to his body. He allowed his gaze to travel past the club patrons against the walls who were focused on their lap dances. He briefly wondered if they knew what the gyrating women looked like or even cared at this point, sure that they didn't. He was glad that the woman in the crew held much more respect and dignity for themselves. Even though Anala was celebrating her twentieth birthday, he hoped that she would drink in moderation or enjoy herself sober. Whichever one didn't leave her a blundering idiot by the end of the night.

"_Oooh_!"

Jacob's dark-brown eyes snared on the bar counter-top laden with two bodies and empty shot glasses only ten feet away. The fiery redheaded dancer hovered over another body clothed in black. Her left hand was secured in a black cast and a shot glass full of Jack Daniels nestled in between the valley of her breast. Anala dipped her head, hands and knees braced on the counter and on either side of the girl. Lips painted pink curved over the outside rim of the glass. Once secured, she knocked back the drink, and slammed down the empty shot glass onto the counter, thrusting her arms up in victory. "_Wooooh_!" Immediately there arose a deafening cacophony of whistles, catcalls and joyous laughter.

Cursing low, Jacob ran a big, dark hand over the back of his neck.

_Dignity_ and _respect_ just went out the _damn_ window.

"Yo, Jacob!" A voice pierced the smoky haze that suddenly swam before him, smelling strangely familiar. Was someone smoking _marijuana _in here?

He turned. The long-limbed, curly-haired boy bounced slightly to the loud bass of the music. Uproar from the bar caught their attention. They noticed, however, the female Pirates dancing on top of the counter, shot glasses in hand and the way they drank the strong liquid down quite easily. Alcohol-induced men blew them kisses or offered to buy them more shots. Seemed partying sober was no longer an option.

Jacob eyed the girls distastefully. "Whoa, are we _that_ late, man?" Moose said in awe and Camille pinched his bottom, wrinkling her nose. He jumped, turning to her, "Ow! What? It was a _question_!"

Trying to appear normal, rather than aggravated with the girls' abhorrent behavior, Jacob smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "No, your right on time," he said, with an edge to his voice that the young couple now recognized as disapproval. His accent seemed to be drowned out by the music. "Ah, Camille, you were so quiet I didn't even see you." Jacob reached for her hand then brought it to his lips for a kiss.

A red glow spread over her features when he released her hand with a gentle smile and Moose pulled her against his chest possessively. "Hey, quit mackin' on my girl!" Jacob held his hands up in front of him in mock surrender, chuckling. He knew if it ever came down to it, he could snap the scrawny dancer like a twig. But it was all in fun.

Camille stared up at her boyfriend in wonder at his possessiveness, who winked back at her teasingly. She finally dropped her eyes and laughed awkwardly as her blush deepened. His scent enveloped her being, overpowering the musky smell of the club. Heaven above, her mouth suddenly felt dry. She swallowed, trying to wet her throat with her saliva, but that barely made any difference. It tightened at the thought of an ice cold drink. She tugged his arm, gaining his attention. His eyes lowered to hers, brown eyes sparkling while staring into her own and she melted. "I'm gonna get a drink."

Moose's dark brows drew together in a deep ridge. "_Water_, Cam. I don't wanna be the designated driver again," he couldn't contain his smile. It slid out and lifted his cheeks encouraging another brilliant smile from her. He didn't even own a car, let alone was qualified to drive one. Also forgetting the fact that didn't even have his driving permit. Besides, she didn't even drink alcohol. She had her father to thank for that. "Or have you go all _Coyote Ugly_ over there. Only I shall see if those hips _lie_ or not." She shook her head, laughing softly. He was such a goof.

"I'll be back, _Bobby_." She gave him a brief kiss on his cheek and sauntered off towards the bar. Her heart raced with excitement, the eagerness and exhilaration. The music had launched into _Flo Rida's Club Can't Handle Me_ as she made her way through the crowded dance floor. The pounding beat kept time with her pulse, reverberated through her blood and coaxed her body into motion until she was dancing through the crowd.

"Hey, Ma. What you drinkin' tonight?" His eyes were jewel-blue, a color so intense it made her feel as if she were being swallowed by the sea. He had a dishcloth in his hand, wiping down the varnished, wooden counter. The bartender offered her a sexy smile when she sat down.

"Water, please."

The bartender flattened his mouth. "_Water_? You sure, baby? I can fix you up something nice."

With slender fingers, Camille smoothed the brown ringlets in her hair. "Uh…I'm not much of a drinker…"

"Dean, are you harassing my girl?" Anala threw an arm around the younger girl's shoulders, giving him a coy look.

He tossed the dishcloth over one shoulder, reaching under the counter to grab a bottle of water before handing it to Camille, who in return, muttered her thanks. Obviously she was peeved by his attempt to get her wasted. "My bad, birthday girl. I was tryna have a nice conversation with the beautiful lady. But you seem to be cockblocking me as of now _after_ I allowed you and your girls to _dance_ all over my clean bar."

"And that's why you still work here, babe!"

"I should quit so you would actually have to _dance_ on the _dance floor_." He squinted at her, folding his arms over his chest.

"You're making me sad…on my birthday, too."

Camille twisted off the cap and took a long swing as the pair continued their humorous exchanges. She sort of felt out of place when Moose wasn't by her side. Even after being here many times, she couldn't shake off the feelings of discomfort. Since Tyler left Baltimore to tour with Nora and now resided in California, life for her was not the same. Having transferred to MSA second semester and meeting Moose, it helped fill the empty void she had been carrying in her heart for years.

Anala chuckled softly and arched a sexy red eyebrow. "Unfortunately, Dean. This little cutie is taken by that mop of curly hair over there." She pointed to Moose, who was freestyling in the middle of the dance floor, a cheering crowd surrounding him.

"Ugh! The _pretty ones always_ _are_. My _two weeks notice_ starts _now_," Dean grumbled before he stalked off to serve another group who stumbled straight into the bar. "Hey! Don't put your _ugly_ face there! I just cleaned there!" The girls burst out laughing. Anala knew he was joking about his two weeks notice. He loved it here as much as the Pirates did. He just couldn't handle the rejection that came with the job.

Anala brushed some of her hair behind her ear. "I'm so glad you were able to come."

They exchanged a quick hug, and Camille asked, "I was invited?" She blinked at the older dancer, confusion filming her gaze.

The redhead mirrored her expression, "Of course you were! You did, after all, help us _win_ the _World Jam_. I'd also like to think of you as one of my friends. I made sure to let Moose know. But he said you were going to be busy tonight. I guess you finished whatever your doing early."

"Yeah, I did. _Happy birthday_ by the way." She smiled, giving her another hug to steer her away from the topic of their discussion. This issue was of a more private matter, something her and Moose would have to talk about...alone. He had told her earlier that he had forgotten about the party. Did he not want her here with him? Yet, he dragged her here anyways. He was so confusing sometimes!

"Thank you. Man, do I feel old." Anala laughed as the track ended and a slower song drifted through the speakers and she began to sway from side to side, humming along. Moments later, she stood rigid, and Camille noticed her smile melting instantly.

"Come on, Blue," A voice said, and the younger dancer swung in its direction. Jason was now sitting at the far end of the bar. The same girl that Anala was doing body shots off earlier was standing before him. At first glance, she was half a head taller than Anala, oddly making her boyfriend's five-foot-six frame appear short by comparison. A dark, woolly beanie was now perched on top of her head, sweat coating her mocha skin, her casted hand hung limp at her side.

Jason reached to touch her cheek. She flinched away from him. He dropped his hand with a defeated sigh, dismayed. "You need to cut this shit out. Its time to grow up and learn to _'forgive and forget'_. Its in the past, so leave it there because you're _beating a dead horse._"

The way her cobalt eyes narrowed suggested that she wasn't pleased by his method of reasoning with her. Her back straightened as rigid as a post, her lips parting to inhale sharply. Intricate features twisted with sudden anger as her right hand began trembling. Before anyone could blink, her fist collided with the side of Jason's jaw and he toppled off the bar stool, hitting the dance floor, dazed. "Man down, man down!" Dean shouted, peering at dancer on the ground over the bar's counter. "Code _blue_! Or code _black_! Oh wait, that's _racist_…code _blue!_"

"Shut the _hell_ up, Dean!"

"Aw, hell…" Anala muttered, throwing Camille an apologetic look before rushing forward toward Jason and signaling the rest of the Pirates for their aid. Blue Eyes was storming through the crowd by now, making her way to the exit and leaving the others angry, flustered and the focus of inquisitive attention. Camille's eyes were wide. Did that really just happen?

"Chameleon!" Moose slid to a halt beside her. "Did you see me out th-"he followed his girlfriend's gaze, looking at Jacob and the others trying to help Jason to his feet. The side of his face was red, beginning to swell and he looked angry and confused. "_Whoa_! Who lay the _smack down_ on Jason?" He couldn't hear him sigh, but his body language told him there was one. Jason touched the tender spot on his jaw where she had hit him, regretting his action when he winched slightly.

"A girl with blue eyes." Camille shook her head is disbelief. How that girl, half of Jason's size, managed to knock him down with one punch was unbelievable. He looked as though he was taken by surprise. It may have been a lucky shot, something he had not anticipated.

"With a cast?"

"Yup. He got _Akuma KO'd_."

Moose inhaled sharply through the clenched fist that covered the front of his mouth as he leaned away from her a little, "_Daaaamn_, son! Mama must have told _her_ to _knock him out_!"

Camille found herself laughing aloud at his comment. However, she hadn't forgotten that he had lied to her and for some unknown reason; she felt it wasn't going to be the last. When he kissed her, she thought that things were going to change, now that they had a title. That he would put much effort into their newfound relationship, just as much as she was. But, she couldn't shrug off this intense feeling in her gut that maybe, for some reason, he was holding himself back.

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This is the first chapter. Its not always the best, but I had to start this story somehow. I hope you enjoy and please leave a review. They're always a good motivator.


	2. The First Day Of The Rest Of Our Lives

**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I'm glad that I was able to capture Moose and Camille's character. I have Step Up 1 & 2, so I watch those while I write. Hehe =).**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

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"Moose, why didn't you tell me?"

"Aw, Cammie!"

"Don't _aw, Cammie_ me. Why didn't you tell me that I was invited and lie to Anala sayin' I was busy?" The sun came in rays of sparkling light through the water-speckled window and touched Camille's angry face. Things were suppose to seem less ominous in the clear light of morning. This was supposed to be dealt with on the walk home from the club last night. However, he danced around the subject at hand until she was too tired to question him and fell into an exhausted sleep.

A soft, rain-sweetened breeze flirted with the curtain where the window had been left ajar and drifted to the kitchen table to caress her cheek. Moose sat across from her, lifting his mug and inhaling deeply then releasing his breath with a grateful sigh. He took a sip of hot chocolate, the hot liquid burning his throat slightly before setting down his mug. "Camille, its like ten o'clock in the morning...on a _Saturday_. Can't we talk about this later when I'm not kinda brain dead?"

Her dormitory was silent. Her roommate had left for her morning jog, leaving her and Moose alone to settle their _marital problems_. This was their ongoing ritual. He would come over every Saturday morning and enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate with her, usually conversing about their stressors of classes that week. But this Saturday morning was not the case and Moose hated that.

Her hot chocolate remained untouched, squinting at him through the sunlight that zigzagged across the table. She leaned on the table on her elbows, lacing her graceful fingers together. "I just wanna know why you didn't want me there…" She whispered, flicker of disappointment in her pretty brown eyes quickly masked. But Moose had seen it and felt like a jerk for putting it there.

"Ugh! I'm the worst boyfriend in the world…" He banged his head against the table and groaned, "I think you can toss me over that bridge now."

Camille rolled her eyes. Moose could be such a drama queen at times. She hoped he didn't break out in hives again. Wouldn't that be just what she needed? An itchy boyfriend and covered in _Calamine Lotion _ and whining about how unfair life could be and how much the _Big Guy Upstairs_ hated him. She definitely did not need a repeat of last week.

"Moose."

He was desperately sucking air in an attempt not to hyperventilate then he lifted his head. Her fingers reached out to thread themselves through his tousled hair, attempting to restore order to the brown curls. Unfortunately, his hair had a mind of its own. "Cam, please don't hate me. I just didn't want you to witness that…_thing_ between Jason and Blue, uh, Amara."

"You didn't seem bothered by it."

Moose straightened, his bent elbow nearly knocking over his mug if she hadn't grabbed and moved it to the end of the table, away from him. "I was _so_ bothered by it. I'm just better at hiding it. I just didn't wanna expose you to that issue between them. Besides, that wasn't even their worst altercation."

"_Oooh,_" She drawled in a low, teasing voice, "_Altercation_. Someone's been paying attention in English class."

"Yeah, I'm thinking of having a _third_ major in English." He waggled his eyebrows, twisting a lock of curly hair around and around his finger in a teasing manner. He was so adorable.

Camille shook her head, a small smile dancing across her lips as she lifted her own mug and took a sip of her hot chocolate. "So, you say this wasn't their _worse _fight?" She gazed at him over the rim of her cup. "'Cause she went all _Chun-Li_ on him."

Filled with wariness, he licked his lips then scratched behind his right ear and said, "How do you think she got that cast?"

She set her cup down with a short, sharp _clink_. Her brows rose in question, and her brown eyes pierced him with astonishment and underlined curiosity. "Jason _broke_ her hand?"

He saw her facial expression and took it as a sign of him not choosing his words carefully. "No, no, _no_!" Moose shook his head frantically, waving his arms about that made him look like a deranged bird. "Their last huge fight was…two weeks ago? I have no idea what started it but she went to punch him and he ducked…" He shivered, cringing at the memory that resurfaced. "You could hear her bones snap when she hit the elevator shaftway instead."

"_Ouch_. Well that's unfortunate. She's a violent one," Camille interjected, rubbing her own hand. "I'm guessing Jason never does anything back to her."

"He's a _big_ dude, He could break that girl into a _trillion _pieces. He kinda just avoids anything she throws at him so he doesn't look like the bad guy in the end," he reached over to retrieve his mug and took another sip. "But I'd have to admit, she's got a mean right-hook, for a girl of course."

"Hey, sexist pig! Girls _can_ fight too, ya know."

Moose held up his finger. "_Some _girls can, not all."

"I could take you," she countered with a cocky grin, "Any time, any place, you name it."

He lifted his graphic tee and patted his beautifully defined abdomen. "Girl, please. I don't think you wanna mess with _this_. I'd _rock your world_." How he managed to craft any sort of muscle out of that scrawny frame was unfathomable. But it didn't mean she didn't enjoy the view…until he pulled back down his shirt, that is.

Moose's Blackberry chose that inauspicious moment to chirp. "Hold up," he fished his mobile out of his jeans pocket and checked the screen. His fingers then glided over the keypad for a minute before setting his phone down on the table beside his arm. His eyes lifted to hers. "I just hope nothing like this ever-" His phone went off again. With an annoyed sigh, he picked it up. "Sorry, honey. I gotta go."

Camille's eyes filled with a sadness he completely understood. He never enjoyed leaving her, or seeing that look on her beautiful face. It made him feel worse knowing that he caused it. "Its only ten thirty-five," she pouted, "You still have an hour and a half left with me…"

Moose slid out of his chair, coming around the table to stand in front of her. She swiveled herself around in the table chair to face him. He caught her face, fingertips smoothing away a long tendril of her hair and tucking it behind her ear. "I've been ignoring Jason's texts since nine, just to spend more time with you."

She stared up at him, her heart full. "Oh…" Great. Now she sounded like an idiot times _infinity_, or something. "Who's the bad person now?" She laughed awkwardly, a soft flush highlighting her cheeks.

With a devilish smile, his fingers brushed against her reddened cheeks, moving closer and watching those deep-set eyes widen. She felt his lips capture her own, gently, as if in apology. A bubble of desire swelled inside her. Regardless of their uncertain future, he was reassuring her that he _was_ going to try. They pulled apart, his hooded gaze searching hers. "Definitely not you, _Mary-Kate_."

Camille grinned. "Your such a cornball, _Ashley_."

"But I'm your cornball."

"_Unfortunately_..." She replied airily, but her mouth was quirked with amusement.

"Hey!" Moose's phone chirped again and Camille laughed.

"You better get going." She grabbed their now cold hot chocolates-so engrossed in their conversation that they had forgotten all about them-and sauntered over to the kitchen sink to dump and wash them.

He looked at her for a moment in a relaxing manner, listening to the sound of her voice, watching the bright, happy smile as she washed the mugs. That's the Camille he known and was beginning to…was it too soon for him to admit that to himself? More importantly, to her?

"Aren't you going?"

Moose glanced up, startled from his thoughts. "Huh? Oh, yeah." He moved towards her just as she was drying the mugs and placed a fleeting kiss upon her cheek, then made for the door. "Later gater," As he was half way out the door, he turned back to her and spoke again, "Oh and tell Kristin I said _waddap sucka!_"

It was a one-sided, reoccurring game Moose enjoyed playing with her roommate. Something he started when she chose him to go the Halloween party instead of her and ending up dating him also. From _Kristin, in ya face_ to many other annoying quips, Kristin was about ready to kill and bury him. But he on-the-other-hand, just shrugged it off as her _sippin' that haterade_.

She rolled her eyes, giggling. "Not a chance, _Annie_."

He pouted. "Your no fun.." Then blew her a kiss as a joke, "I'll miss you, muffin."

"Will you just go?" She laughed and he saluted her before closing the door. The sound of him singing _Mr. Lonely_ was heard only seconds after the door closed. Loud enough for it to drift through the wood and cause her to let out a bubble of hysterical laughter, stitches developing in her sides.

"_Kristin!"_ His singing ceased abruptly. Her roommate must have been returning from her jog and ran into a very vibrant Moose. Her laughter quieted as she strained to listen. _"Waddap, sucka!"_

Camille ended up on the floor in tears.

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Jason slipped his Sidekick into the pocket of his sweats, heaving a sigh. Moose, sometimes could be a frustrating character to deal with. But who was he to complain? Moose was just spending what a little time he had with his girl. Unlike him. He was slumped back against the wall of the speaker-room, began tightening the laces of his battered pair of green high top Nikes and every few moments glancing at Amara. However, she, Anala and Stix were too intent on running through one of their old routines to the sound of _Chris Brown's I Wanna Be_, blaring over the speaker-room's loud boom boxes the Pirates had collected over the years. The girls glided across the floor, bodies in sync. They flowed like silk, movements fluidly interwoven and breathing with meaningful, sensual grace.

His eyes seemed to soften as he watched Amara dance so freely. Her cast hindered some of her grace but that didn't stop the glimmer from returning to her eyes and the dazzling grin that made Jason think, _I wish she would smile at me like that again…_

Why did they end up like this? He couldn't begin to conceive why they spent every waking moment at each others' throat since she'd returned. Had he not apologized for his actions those years ago, knowing it wouldn't do any good anyways? Even though the situation wasn't entirely his fault. Did she really have to leave for almost two and a half years? Running away from the Pirates and _him_.

But things had gotten way out of hand last night, she, having embarrassed him at Anala's party. They both did some hurtful things to one another, the alcohol in their veins eliciting the pent up anger and frustration they held for each other over the course of those two and a half years. Though it was too late to change what had happened, he would be damned before it was repeated. He'd been a fool to think she would change her behavior the first time she attempted to hit him and ended up breaking her hand. Jacob spoken to her after Anala's party, warning her if she didn't grow up, she would be kicked out of the Pirates for good. But Jason learned that she was as stubborn and temperamental as a raging bull. He hoped that Jacob words would sink into that thick skull of hers.

Moose bounced into the speaker-room a few moments later, gliding skillfully across the floor and over to Jason. "What's crack-a-lacking, bro?" He plopped down next to him, breathless and slightly sweaty.

"Nothin', man. Just chillin' here, watchin' the ladies dance." Jason stretched out with the idleness of a cat, his joints cracking audibly.

The track switched to _Omarion and Lil' Wayne's I Get It In_ and Amara twisted her straight-billed navy cap backwards before the trio got into their positions. They bent their knees, almost in a squat while arching their backs before bouncing their bottoms to the beat of the song. That definitely was not apart of their old routine.

This was one of the rare occasions Moose had actually seen Amara dance since the three weeks she's been here. She was good, even with a bummed hand. There were some areas she could improve on to make her an even better dancer, but as of now, the girl could _move_ "Yeah, she can rock a beat," He pivoted in Jason's direction. He saw his jaw flex with tension, eyes focused intently on very dip, every turn she made. He nudged the ebony dancer, grinning cheekily at him once he snapped out of his reverie. "Stop _droolin'_, man. Your ruining the guy rep."

"_Guy rep_?" Jason asked, raising a brow.

"Yeah!" The curly-haired dancer replied, as if it were the most _obvious_ thing in the world. "Girls go _gaga_ over _us_, not the other way around."

"Says the kid who responds to my texts an hour later just to play _tea party_ with his girl…" Jason's dark-brown eyes were shining with laughter, bumping Moose's shoulder with his own. Yeah, he was a little jealous of those two, but he would never actually admit it.

He flushed with mild embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "It wasn't a tea party. I was, you know, drinking hot chocolate and keeping my lady happy, that's all. Shouldn't you be doing the same with Amara, instead of training her for _UFC_?"

"Oh, you got jokes now?"

Moose's eyes were bright with mirth. "Of course. I'll be here all night," Jason's mouth curved faintly and his eyes trailed themselves over to Amara's dancing form again. "But seriously bro, what's the deal between you and her?"

Jason heaved another sigh, eyes remaining distant. "One night we were all just foolin' around at the club. I was dancing with some girl while Blue was upstairs getting dressed…or something like that. I can't remember, but she just wasn't there at the moment," A thoughtful look crossed his features before he continued, "Yeah, so me and this girl was dancing, the others were scattered all over the place. Next thing you know, she kisses me just as Blue walks in. I tried explaining to her what happened but she didn't wanna hear it. She bolts, packing up her stuff and leaving the same night. She was gone for almost two and a half years."

"Damn," Moose was not certain how to respond to that. He knew Jason and Amara were together for a year or so and something drove them apart. But he hadn't known _that_ was the reason for her departure and the burden he'd carried since then. If Jason hadn't told him as of now, he wouldn't have ever known. He was extremely good at hiding it. However, he felt there were more to the story. No one could just up and leave because of that, no matter how hurt they were. It didn't seem logical. "And what happened at the club?"

The swelling around the left side of Jason's jaw had abated. Luckily, for him, he wasn't one to bruise easily. But it was just a little tender. "When she came back, everyone acted like nothing happened. There was no explanation or anything. So I wanted to know why she came back after all this time. Hell, I even apologized for what happened. But she's _different_. Fighting me is the only way she can deal with it."

The track came to a halt with the air still vibrating from the bass. The trio rested on the floor in a giggling heap, panting heavily and sweating.

"Look, Jason. Take it from a guy who's in a relationship-"

"for _three weeks_." Jason interrupted firmly, elevating a dark brow.

"_Anyways_. Camille has been my _best friend_ for more. So I _know_ how women think."

The female Pirates sauntered slowly towards them. Amara making the grave mistake of looking at Jason. Both of them froze when their eyes met and locked for a long moment, blotting out all sound of the others' conversation around them. She felt as if mesmerized by those ebony-colored eyes, so dark, a mysterious blending of both black and brown. Annoyed, she found she had been holding her breath and released it.

"Blue?" The silky voice summoned her from the transfixed state and she shook her head to rid her mind of the passionate memories that'd resurfaced. She turned to Anala who's mouth curved wryly. Amara turned a dark shade of red and swiftly made for the kitchen. Stix and Anala laughed, giving the guys a small wave before following the blue-eyed dancer's retreating form.

"See? She's still feelin' you, man." Moose's limbs were beginning to cramp having been seated for so long. He came to his feet. "Give her space. She'll come to you. But the results may vary."

Jason mirrored him, lifting one of his massive shoulders in a shrug. "I guess. But the girl has a _weird_ way of showin' it."

Moose sighed. He hoped that him and Camille would never have to go through something like this. It was one of his greatest fears when it came to her. After dating, Sophie a year ago, their break up resulting in him becoming extremely self-conscious when it came to dating. He was terrified of putting his whole heart into a relationship only to have it torn apart in the end. His heart was suddenly pounding in his chest almost like a throbbing pain. He couldn't stand the thought of losing Camille as a girlfriend and more importantly, his _best friend_.

A quick backhand to his chest broke him from his racing thoughts. "Yo, you ready to run that game of _Street Fighter_? The Ticks and Legz are already in there playin'."

"Where's everyone else?" The Vault was much more quieter this afternoon instead of its accustomed rowdiness. Even in the early morn.

"Jacob, Vladd, Mya and the S. Twins are all working. Besides Amara, who's shift at the diner starts soon, its all of our days off. I mean, the hundred grand took care of the money we owed the bank and this and next month's rent. But now with Luke gone, we all had to find jobs in order to continue paying for this place. Its getting kinda stressful."

Moose nodded, saying nothing. He knew that the prize money would take care of most of the debt. The only problem was continuing to make up that money in order to keep the Vault. But he was so busy with school, making up the classes he'd missed for practices and trying his earnest to keep Cam happy. "I hear you. But I think its time to show you how _Akuma_ gets down."

"Bring it on, _Curly Sue_."

"That's _Mr. Curly Sue_ to you."

* * *

Thanks again for the reviews. I must ask a little favor of you guys. **For those who are putting this story on their alerts and favorites, please leave a review for me**. Because it is a motivator! =)


	3. Mindset

**A/N: Thank you again for the reviews. It's really appreciated! But I can't stress enough that everyone who's adding this story to their favorites or alerts, please leave a review! =)**

**In addition, I watched the movie again…online (shh…:p) and I kinda messed up on some things and Jason's personality. This man is a comic book nerd, loves life and dancing. So he shouldn't let some girl spoil it for him. Therefore, I made a few adjustments in his dialogue in the last two chapters. Its not really noticeable but I'm just letting you guys know. Thanks! =)**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

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"Wake up, _Sleeping_ _Beau-tay_!"

The dream was dispelled and Camille lifted her lashes, blinking away sleep. The face that had invaded her dreams for quite some time finally came into focus. For a few seconds she gazed at him with dreamy lassitude then awareness cleared her brown eyes. Her boyfriend was bent over her, watching her closely. "Hola, Chameleon."

She jumped, almost toppling off the bed, and placing a hand over her hammering heart. "Jeeze! _Edward Cullen_ much?" She was shaken by his close proximity, the sensual fragments of her dream still plagued her still-groggy mind. She could still feel the weight of his body over hers and his mouth slanted over her own. She shivered despite of her heated body, it all felt so _real_.

"Well _sorry_," Moose retorted, slightly offended. "you were all twitchy and moaning, I thought you were going into _epileptic shock_. And if it makes you feel any better, _you give me everything just by breathing._" His features hardened, solemn, eyes steady and staring intensely into hers.

"Have you been reading Kristin's _Twilight _books?" Camille's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I may have skimmed through…all four of them," he looked up from his inspection of his nails. Maybe he should cut them soon, they were getting kinda gnarly. "But, anyway, that Edward dude is a _freak_!"

"Edward is a romantic and in love!"

He scoffed, inclining his head mockingly, "Pssh! He's also a vampire who sparkles in the sunlight. And he ain't got no _bling_. Sorry, Cam, but I'm not gonna be _Robert Cullen III_ anytime soon. That would definitely destroy my _street cred_."

She laughed heartily. "You don't have any _street cred_."

"Um, hello? Part of _MSA_ crew, won _The Streets _competition. You could have been there. But _nooo_, you had to go and eat one of the appetizers at the fundraiser, the one with sesame seeds in it too. Thus missing my _sexy hat trick_."

Her laughter died and she frowned at him. "Well, excuse me for being rushed to the hospital for an_ allergic reaction_. You saw my face, I looked like a _chipmunk_! Blake didn't tell me what was in the appetizers I was carrying. Plus, I got hungry. So sue me for sneaking one…or _five_," she grunted, folding her arms underneath her breasts. "Besides, if that didn't happen, then what? Watch you and Sophie commemorate your feelings for each other?" It was hard enough watching that girl use and abuse him, overlooking his amazing personality, and seeing him only as a pawn in her plan of getting over Chase. This is why she was there for him when Sophie finally dumped him. She didn't deserve someone as amazing as him. That girl wasn't even fit to dance along side of him.

Moose's eyes softened. How could he forget that MSA's performance that night was what started Sophie and his relationship? Their simple, clichéd kiss in the rain was the spark, the fire that set his heart aflame, and lost his connection with his best friend in the process. "Aw, Cam," he sat at the edge of her twin-sized bed, pulling her into his arms. "I'm sorry. How _stupid_ am I to forget something like _that_?" He nuzzled the top of her head, breathing in her scent. Apple-cinnamon with a splash of jasmine.

She sighed loudly and unfolded her arms, turning herself around in his embrace to face him. "No, Moose, you could never be stupid. Well…not _intentionally_, at least…"

"Did Kristin give you some of her _haterade_?"

"Yep. Tasted quite_ good _actually," Her smile was brilliant and his pulse quickened when she pressed her face against his neck. "But seriously, I'm with you now. So I should be happy and forget about the past. I'm just still scared that you'll ditch me again." She murmured shyly against his throat, her arms enclosing him tightly as if afraid he would disappear from her sight.

Moose was infused with a burst of sudden emotion that filled his heart. He smiled to himself and unconsciously held her closer. "You have nothing to worry about. You'll always be my _shawty_."

She giggled, tipping her head back to look at his flushed face. "I would kiss you, but you know…"

"'Cause your breath is kickin' like _Vam Dam_?" He asked innocently, humor in his voice. "_Whoa_!" Pleasantly stunned by her unexpected reaction, he allowed himself to be toppled backward onto the bed.

"Watch it, _Bullwinkle_." She countered with a devilish smile on her lips. How he managed to snag this undercover vixen was beyond him. Right at this moment, rumpled and all, she looked absolutely gorgeous. Her outrageous, untamed mane of chocolate tresses had long since escaped the confines of her pony tie, flowing about her cotton-white t-shirt in deep waves. And her straddling his lap didn't help either.

But, he grinned up at her anyway. "_Kidding_. But on the reals, I'm really liking this new look you got going on. Very _Robert Pattinson_." He saw the hint of another smile playing around her soft mouth. He felt something deep inside him start to unclench.

"_Doofus_. Anyway, what time is it?" Camille's eyes trailed over to her beside radio-alarm clock, only to find it was astray. "Where's my clock?"

He braced himself on his elbows, and she eventually become aware of their compromising position and her face turned bright red. "During your _twitch fit_, you knocked it over and it kinda _broke._ Kristin had to toss it. But luckily, I put it on that radio station where they play _Lady Gaga _every morning at eight-"

"Wait, hold up," She cut him short, straightening, "What time is it now?"

His Blackberry was wedged beneath her leg in the pocket of his jeans short, so he grabbed hers that was lying on the bed and checked the screen, "Eight-thirty now…" He watched her push off him and rolled to her feet. "What were you dreaming about anyways? By the looks of your clock, it seemed you were fighting _Jackie Chan_ or dreaming about something _sexy_." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Camille's head snapped around to face him. Her eyes widened. "N-nothing. Ugh! My class starts at nine-thirty!" He realized she was avoiding his gaze. He could see the rising heat in her cheeks. Yep, _sexy dream_ seemed to be the winner.

"Chill, you have like an hour to get ready." He sat up slowly, watching her bustle around her room.

"Easy for _you_ to say." She grabbed her toiletries and a fresh set of clothes. "By the way, where's Kristin?"

"Student lounge, waiting for you," He yawned promptly, scratching his head. "something about you guys cramming for a…biology test?"

Her eyes widened, having remembered that Kristin and her had a biology test first period and both agreed that they were going to wake up early and go over last week's notes together. "_Aw, jeeze_! Thanks for letting me in on that little tidbit _now_."

"No problem, babe." Moose stretched again, and then rolled to his feet.

Camille glowered at him, resisting the urge to hurt him. "Just go tell Kristin I'll be there in half an hour."

His face crumpled like that of a child who was about to cry. "But she'll _shoot the messenger_…" He whined, as she pushed him toward the door with one shoulder since her hands were full at the moment.

Her lips tightened, rolling her brown eyes heavenward. Now was not the time for his childish behavior. She needed to get ready and now had twenty-eight minutes left. "You'll be fine. Just don't aggravate her."

"Sometimes, _you_ _break my heart_..." He sulked out the door, glancing over his shoulder to look at her.

"Again, you'll be_ fine_."

* * *

_And I know that he knows I'm unfaithful  
And it kills him inside  
To know that I am happy with some other guy  
I can see him dying_

Aja floated smoothly across the floor, singing along–off-key-to _Rihanna's_ _Unfaithful_ as her music floated from the speakers. Shonnie joined him shortly; both began slow-krumping in their silly attempt to interpret Rihanna's words. Unfortunately, for them, Terence was called into work this morning, leaving the twosome to find something to do since they were not scheduled today. But this isn't what the others had in mind.

Shonnie whirled around while thrusting his pelvis up and down, mouthing the words, and pointing a long finger at Vladd who eyed him curiously.

_Our love, his trust  
I might as well take a gun  
And put it to his head  
Get it over with  
I don't wanna do this  
Anymore, anymore_

The Robotic dancer rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the laptop's screen.

"Will you two turn it down?" Mya grunted, thoroughly vexed. "I'm trying to write my lesson plan for my class later."

"Dude, you're teaching a _dance _class, not _rocket science_." Aja returned pointedly as the music dwindled into silence.

She rounded on him like a small tigress, "I like to be prepared, _thanks_."

"Maybe, you need to chill, _thanks_," Shonnie gave her an annoyed look, "Why don't you do that in your room or somewhere quieter?"

"Why don't you go _play in traffic_?" Mya said with an evil smile.

Vladd grabbed the oversized headphones from around his neck and slid it over his ears, plugging it into the headphone jack of his laptop. He hated when those three bickered, learning a long time ago to bring headphones whenever he was around them.

Aja cranked up the volume when _Imma Be_ pounded throughout the room, doing a little two-step. Frown lines marred Mya's forehead, tossing her work to the side before stomping over to the boom boxes and turning down the volume "Hey!" Aja turned it back up.

"Are you two _deaf_ or something?" Down.

"No, but that's offensive to _someone_ else, ya know. Just chill and go somewhere else." Up.

"You guys are gonna break it…" Vladd didn't even spare the arguing pair a glance, keying something into _YouTube_'s search engine. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Um guys?" Shonnie eyed them in growing alarm. They ignored him, continuing to fuss with the dial.

Amara staggered stiltedly into the speaker-room, curly-Mohawk mused and clothes rumpled from sleep just as the third speaker box from the bottom, on the left-hand side, began smoking. She knuckled her right eye, rubbing the remainder of sleep that clung to it. The air was taint with the scent of burning metal and the smell assaulted her nose, instantly surfing into full wakefulness.

"Ayo, _Bobby_, _Whitney_, simmer! The speaker is about to-" Shonnie's words were lost in the small explosion of smoke as the speaker box finally gave out, the dancers ducking reflexively .

Coughing, hands fluttered in the air as they tried to clear the smoke that clouded their vision and filled their nostrils. Vladd was at their side in an instant, surveying the damage. "_See, _I told you so_._ Jacob is gonna be _pissed_." He gave the duo a sharp glance.

"_Jacob_?" Shonnie asked in a stunned little voice, "_Jason's_ the one who's gonna be _Superman pissed_. It took him and Luke _months_ to build that," he glanced around at the astonished faces behind him, "So, what should we write on you guys' _tombstones_?"

Mya and Aja were still shocked into speechlessness, an event which appeared to give Vladd great satisfaction. He turned to Amara. "Got your phone?" She nodded. "Good. Text Jason for me, my phone is in my room. And I know he doesn't want to hear the _good_ _news_ from any of them." He jerked a thumb in the silent threesome's direction.

Her eyes widened blearily. Did he not understand that Jason and her were not on friendly terms? She was trying to avoid the Graffiti Guru, so she wouldn't find herself in another _club situation_. One more slip up and she would be gone. But, she relented. Aside from Anala, Vladd and her had formed some type of bond, having more in common than they realized. She found it extremely difficult to say _no_ to him sometimes. Even if she _knew,_ he was doing this on purpose. The ebony dancer gave a small, exasperated sound then pulled her iPhone from the pocket of her sweat-shorts and sent Jason a text. He was _so_ lucky she could text with one hand.

_Jason._

She didn't have to wait long for a reply. _**Amara. I'm working…**_

Amara rolled her eyes, texting back. _Not very hard then. Why are you texting back if your 'working'?_

_**Because I'm a nice guy. Even to people who try to break my face. :|**_

Before she could hit reply, her phone buzzed again.**_ Plus, it's a slow day. Barely anyone's buying kicks today :(_**

_Doesn't your life suck? :P_

The next text came quickly.

_**I know, eh? :( But I guess talking to you is making it a little better ;)**_

Amara flushed and briefly chewed on her lower lip. She had read the message several times, not knowing what to say, because she really didn't feel that she was making the Pirates' lives better. How could she leave, come back, and expect everything to go back to normal? She wasn't even close to being _normal_.

She chose her next words carefully. _Thanks, Clark. But I'm not sure you mean that._

Jason's reply nearly made her heart stop. Her pulse was pounding and she felt the sudden urge to throw up. _**Lois. You and I both know I couldn't lie to you, even if I tried. Yeah, stuff between us ****is rocky****, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you. Feelings don't just go away like that...**_

She could not seem to catch her breath. After the initial shock, a shimmering, glittering excitement roared through her. Why did he have to say things like that? It scared her, made her extremely confused about all of this. Could he not just hate her and move on to someone better? Amara, weary of exposing herself, thankfully remembered the main reason why she messaged him in the first place.

_Vladd wanted me to text you to let you know that Mya and Aja blew of the speakers…_

_**...and now my life really sucks :'(…**_

She couldn't agree more.

* * *

"If I don't pass that biology test, I will personally kick your butt."

Moose and Camille darted inside a corner street diner not too far from the campus. There were a few customers present, the normal lunch crowd, but no one paid them any attention. She glanced around, and located an empty booth in the very back, away from other patrons but close to a shuttered window. And so that's where she headed. She needed the privacy and the lack of prying eyes so she could yell at him. She hurried over to the black, cushioned seat and slid in.

"Chillax, Cam. You're going to pass that test with flying colors," Moose joined her at the booth, placing his body on the opposite bench, directly in front of her and smiling at her goofily. "Come on, honey. We're finally having some alone time and I don't want to spend it with you being mad at me."

"If this is your attempt to bribe me out of stomping you to the ground," Her eyes met his suddenly and she smiled widely, "It's working."

He let his boyish smile play on his lips. "Of course it is. Because you know if you _damage my sexy person_, you won't be able to _ogle _at my _goodies_."

Camille wrinkled her nose. "Calm down there, _Ciara_. Let's not ruin the mood with your gigantic ego."

"_Me_? _An_ _ego_?" He said, feigning hurt and placing a hand over his heart, "What's with you today and lowering my self-esteem? I think I might just go back to my dorm and _cry…_"

The brunette was instantly enthusiastic. "_Really_? _You promise_?"

Moose chuckled, grabbing one of the sugar packages and tossing it at her. She caught it expertly, sticking her tongue out at him. "Jerk."

She smiled with satisfaction. "Thought so." She definitely needed this time with him.

Five minutes later, the waitress noticed the young couple pelting sugar packages at each other in the corner and full of good spirit and sunshine, hustled over to take their order. They finally recovered from their fun little sugar dispute, Moose claiming victory and ruler of the table.

"You guys are so cute, its _sickening_," Anala beamed fondly at the couple, pulling out her white pad and a pen.

They glanced up, genuinely surprised, "You work here now?" Moose eyed her in disbelief.

The redhead drew herself up proudly, "Yep. So does Amara. But she had a little mishap that involved breaking a few dishes. So I'm taking over her hours until her hand heals," Anala stifled a small sigh then brightened, "But enough about that, what can I getcha today?"

"Well my good, woman. Can I get a veggie burger with lettuce, tomatoes, relish, mayo, a smidge of ketchup, pickles on the side and a diet coke," he leaned closer to Anala, the back of his hand covering the side of his mouth so Camille wouldn't hear. "I'm trying to watch my figure for my lady over there."

Across the booth, Camille registered the unsubtle meaning behind the remark and turned a delightful shade of pink. His voice had been purposely above a whisper, it was obvious he wanted her to hear it. That boy will be the death of her someday.

"_Gotcha_," Anala winked at him before turning to Camille, "and for the lady?"

"Order whatever you want, babe. _I got money to blow_." Moose smiled at her in a flirtatious manner.

Her eyes twinkled with merriment. "Thanks _sugar daddy._ I'll have fries and a ginger ale, please."

Wearing a smile, Anala nodded. "I'll get right on those orders. Be back in a few, cuties." And whistling, she took herself off with haste towards the kitchen.

"When I said '_I got money to blow'_, _skeletor_. I meant order something _big_."

She gave him a sharp glance, uncertain if he was actually teasing her, "You know I can't eat a lot. You sayin' I'm too _skinny_ or something?"

"I didn't mean it like _that._ Of course your not. I think your perfect the way you are. I'm just sayin' you can order _more_. Money is no object when it comes to you." He whispered thickly.

Her mouth fell open in astonishment. "No one is perfect, Moose. I'm _far_ from it."

Moose shrugged, seemingly nonchalant and composed. "You might as well be God sent," he continued, "Look, Chameleon. You need to learn how to take a compliment," he cleared his throat discreetly. "'Cause, I for one, don't date _uggos_ and you're a _bombshell_, girl. Its time to _represent_."

Her lashes veiled her gaze. He could see the warmth in her cheeks. "Your such a _dork_." She pressed her shoulders back in the booth, not out of disinterest but from utter surprise. His honesty astounded her and left her shaken. But at the same time, her heart wanted to melt. How long has it been since he said something like that and was being serious? Never. She wouldn't mar her time with him by thinking of her insecurities.

Anala reappeared, her expression filled with titillating nosiness. "Here ya go, _lovebirds_," Smirking, she glimpsed between the two of them, setting down the plates and glasses, "If you need anything else, just let me know." She eased herself out of hearing range, and went to serve another customer who flagged her down earlier.

"So this is the diner Luke use to work at?" Camille reached over and casually took a hold of the ketchup, pushing her fries to one side of her plate and poured some into a small glob at the corner.

Moose took a bite of his veggie burger, reaching across the table and snatching a few of her fries. She pouted and in retaliation, took a pickle slice. "Yeah. This is the exact table where I lay down my _infinite wisdom_ on him."

She smiled faintly as she dipped one of her fries into the ketchup, practically slathered with the red condiment, and then popped it into her mouth. "I have the next _Mahatma Gandhi_ on my hands."

"First _Edward Cullen_, and now _Mahatma Gandhi_. You have some sick fantasies about me, eh?" He eyed her, gulping down half of his diet coke. "I bet it was your dream last night, huh?"

Camille sputtered and nearly chocked on her ginger ale. She squinted, trying to catch her breath as snatches of her dream flittered across her mind. Moose leaned forward in alarm and she waved him off. "N-no. I was dreaming about _candy and rainbows_."

Picking up a pickle slice, he flashed her a devious grin. "By the way your face is heating up, it must have been _me_ _naked, rolling around in candy underneath a rainbow_." He shoveled the pickle slice into his mouth with a wink.

"_Nuh uh_." She stated firmly, holding her ground. She would not allow him to _tease_ the truth out of her. It was embarrassing enough to have the man you've dreamt about only inches away from you.

"_If you say so_," he replied in a singsong tone, picking up his veggie burger and taking another bite. She did not like the knowing way Moose eyed her but she pretended not to have noticed. His Blackberry suddenly came to life with a blast of music, saving her from any more embarrassment.

_There's a place downtown where the freaks all come around_

_It's a hole in the wall, it's a dirty free for all_

Moose wiped his hands on one of the dozen napkins Anala had given them, then reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The music grew louder and Camille was acutely aware of the fascinated stares their way.

_And they turn me on, when they take it off_

_When they take it off, everybody take it off_

"Hurry up and answer," she said solemnly. "_Ke$ha_ doesn't like to be kept waiting."

He rolled his eyes and answered without looking at the caller display. "Talk to me."

_"Moose, kill me please…"_

He recognized the voice. "And risk a _pretty young thang_ like me by going to jail? _Heelll no_, Jason."

Jason sighed on the other end, _"If your not going, then I might. Aja and Mya blew one of speaker boxes in the speaker-room…"_

"That's rough, man."

_"Your telling me. I kinda need your help. You free after school? If not, that's cool."_

He cast an uncertain glance across the table at Camille who was finishing the last of her fries. Moose pressed his foot farther under the booth, letting one of his calves brush against hers. She looked up sharply, cheeks reddened. She didn't seem to look angry, which may or may not be a good thing. But having heard their conversation, she nodded, somewhat thankful that he was bringing her along with him instead of leaving her behind.

_"Helloo? My lunch break is almost over…"_

"Ye ye. I'll be there…_with_ my significant other." He winked at her and she giggled, her blush deepening.

Jason chuckled. There was a voice in the background, yelling at him. _"Sorry, boss. I'm just about finished. Well, Moose, the boss is jockin' me right now –oh crap he heard- anyway, be there around four."_

"Righty-o. Try not to get fired. Later."

_"I won't...I hope. Peace."_

Moose hung up. Reaching across the booth, he took Camille's hand. "Thanks."

She tilted her head to one side, puzzlement in her eyes. "For what?"

"For not getting mad at me this time," His gaze dropped, and he looked around the table top, at her hands, at his. "I really am trying, Cam," His brown eyes lifted. "I just hope its enough to keep you happy..."

"Moose," Camille blinked quickly. Her mouth trembled, "Oh, Moose," she pushed up from her seat and slid next to him. "Stupid boy! Of course you make me happy, no matter how angry you get me," She cupped his face and brought her mouth to his, her heart so full of love and pride and a fierce possessiveness she thought it would burst. "I love you."

Moose eyed her for a long moment. There was no denying the warm sensation that rushed through his entire body. He felt it, the familiar pull at his heart strings when she said those words. Then, with a sudden radiance like the sun breaking the clouds, he smiled. "_Ditto_."

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I also don't own _Rihanna's Unfaithful _or _Ke$ha's Take It Off_ songs. This was one of the longest chapter I have written so far for this story. My fingers hurt and its like two am. **Please leave me a review or I won't update for a month. I'm kidding =)…maybe…=P**


	4. So Amazing

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I had business this past two weeks to take care of. I was so busy getting my life back on track and I was suffering from a writer's block. So I'm not sure if this going to be my best chapter. I had a heap amount of trouble writing it. But please enjoy and thank you for all the lovely reviews!**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

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Instinctively their feet carried them along with the handful of passing pedestrians on the busy sidewalk of Brooklyn, New York. Camille paused to adjust the weight of her messenger bag she carried. "I wish we could have stopped by my dorm first before we left."

Moose scratched his head through his dark-green tuque. "Sorry, Chameleon. I just wanna get there as soon as possible."

"Oh," She swallowed. He'd been relatively quiet since they'd left the school's campus and apart of her feared that maybe it was too soon of her to drop the _L-Bomb_. He didn't exactly say it back to her in the diner, substituting that word for _ditto_. "Is…something wrong?"

He came to a sudden halt and turned around to answer her. He discovered she was almost on top of him and took a quick step back. "I didn't do so hot on my engineering test."

An inaudible breath of relief escaped her but he didn't seem to have noticed. "Well, what did you get?"

"A _sixty-five._ That was worth _twenty-five percent_ of my grade. This is my career we're talking about. I won't be able to graduate and my parents are gonna freakin' _disown_ me! I'm gonna have to work at _McDonald's_ for the rest of my life and-"

Camille had had enough. She took a hold of his shoulders, steering him towards a set of steps to have a seat and take a breather. "Whoa, whoa, _whoa_!" She said sharply, then softened her tone and added, "Moose calm down before you start hyperventilating and breaking out in hives again." Stroking the side of his face, after a few moments, he was finally beginning to relax and steady his breathing.

His arms went around her waist and buried his face in her abdomen. Her heart immediately reached out for him. His parents, both, put so much pressure on him wanting him to succeed in establishing a realistic career. But Moose wanted to involve his passion for dance. Aside from his engineering major, he'd also doubled in dance and absolutely loved it. But his parents gave up everything in order for him not to. She dreaded the day he would have to break the news to them.

"Everything's gonna work out," She whispered and he raised his head to gaze up at her. "Trust me."

"But how do you know, Camille? I mean, do you honestly think I'm way in over my head with this engineering/dance thing?" The doubt creeping into his tone made her wish with all her heart that it wasn't there. "You know what? Just go on without me. Your life will be better that way…"

Camille felt a flash of anger. "Get up, you big dummy."

Moose groaned when she starting tugging on his arms to bring him to his feet. "No just leave me here to _rot_ because my parents are going to _kill_ me anyways," She tugged harder. "_Ow_! Easy there! If I fail at both things, I need these babies to fall back on." He flexed the forearms in her grasp for emphasis and she rolled her eyes in response.

Finally managing to pull the drama queen to his feet, she looked into his eyes, trying to get him to understand. "What don't you get? Your not gonna do this alone. I'm obviously gonna be there with you every step of the way."

He studied her, wind-blown hair, the love burning in her soft brown eyes, and wondered how he could have pushed her away even momentarily, how he could have allowed the pressure to drive him to that. "I just don't wanna drag you down with me."

Camille slid an arm around his waist and he mirrored her as they began walking again. "Well, you'll be there to cushion my fall so I don't mind, _Ash._"

"Thanks, _M.K._ What would I do without you?"

"I don't know. What_ would _you do without me?" She returned teasingly, nestling closer.

"See, that's the problem," He whispered in her ear. "I couldn't _do_ life without you," A ray of late afternoon sunlight hit her, turning her golden. Having her in his life was more glorious than anything he could ever imagine, even above dance. And nothing had ever come before his dancing. Rushing through his engineering test in order to come through for the Pirates at the battle of GWAI, proved that. "Andie, Chase and the MSA crew will always be my peeps. But I don't think I would be the same person today if I hadn't met _you_ specifically," He uncoiled their arms from around one another and took her hand instead, interlacing their fingers together. "I'm glad _Fred_ and _Ginger_ brought us together that day in Blake's class. Even if you _stepped_ on my foot."

"Hey!" Camille punched his bicep with her free hand but her heart leapt as his words. "That _so_ wasn't my fault. You're the one who went _left_ instead of _right_." She shot back, her dimples showing as she grinned. "But I'm glad we met too. Not to mention, you saved me from sitting with the wrong people at lunch."

"_Damn right_, I did," Moose chuckled. "You wanted to sit next to that abnormally tall, thin girl who always bought soda only to empty it out in the trash can. I think it was an _OCD_ or something. But anyway, a _thank you_ is _long_ overdue."

She rolled her eyes. "I did say _thank you_, _doofus_. That _same day_."

"_Uh-uh-uh_," Waving his index finger in front of her face, he broke away from her to begin walking backwards. "You were supposed to say: _Thank you, Moose, dancing God of MSA who I wanna do dirty things to_."

Camille's tongue clicked whilst adjusting the strap of her bag again to fit more snugly across her chest before a mischievous grin lit her face. "_Or_ I could do…_this_!" She snatched his tuque off his head and took off running, laughing wildly over her shoulder.

It happened all too quickly, taking a brief moment for the scenario to register in his brain. "Hey, that's cheating!" He hastened after her, determined to get his precious hat back.

She spun around, dangling his hat in the air while jogging backwards. "No way, _slowpoke_! Its called _the element of surprise_!" A grin curled her lips as she then twirled his hat on her index. Her left foot rested flat against the pavement while her other foot kicked backwards, propelling her back to slide on the sidewalk.

"Show off!" Moose sounded amused as he finally caught up alongside of her and plucked his hat from her fingertip. "And you said your only a_ good dancer_. _Puh-lease_!" He tossed his tuque into the air and skillfully caught it on top of his head, resting neatly on his curls.

Smiling, her small shoulders were proudly thrown back. "In the words of the coolest guy I know: _what can I say, I got mad skills_." Camille popped her imaginary collar comically.

"I agree," His eyes twinkled and he threw an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "I am the coolest guy you know."

"And the _ego_ makes another appearance."

* * *

"You don't have to help me, you know," Jason carefully removed the metal faceplate on the speaker using a screwdriver. "Moose is gonna be here in a few. So maybe you can help out the ladies with dinner or something," He paused, placing the faceplate and screwdriver by his foot then looked over at her. "Yo, did you hear what I said?"

Amara crossed her legs, balancing her elbow on her knee and cradling the side of her face in the palm of her hand. Her other was tucked into the front pouch of the hoodie that he realized then that it was his, until he shrank it in the wash. He'd given her the hoodie a couple of years back and was surprised she still had it, being his favorite piece of street wear.

She sighed, drawing herself up and reaching over to gently grab a hold of his lips, holding them together and effectively silencing him when he went about repeating his remark. Amara heard it the first time and ignored him on purpose because she chose to help the guy. Unfortunately at this moment, a very cute guy. He was wearing his paint-splattered overalls, an electric-green wife beater underneath and a matching pair of clear lens wayfarer glasses. His dark head covered by his favorite superheros-fitted that she always had her eyes on but he refused to part with it.

Jason mumbled something from between her fingers and she separated from her thoughts, finally releasing him. "I wish you would just talk to me again," He turned back to the speaker and loosened the seams of the fabric covering the voice coil, trying his earnest not to tear it. "I wish you would just _talk _period. I meant what I said earlier: _I still care about you. Feelings don't just go away like that_."

To her, those words meant everything to her at that moment, because she now knew they were true and sincere. Her heart was pounding, but she wasn't sure if it was from joy or fear. Why did she allow her pride to control her actions and cause her to act so stupidly? Jason was right and she was so very wrong about everything. But one thing she was sure of...

She was _so _sorry.

Without stopping to think, Amara wrapped her arms around his torso and buried her face into his side. Her heart thudded in her chest, almost echoing in her ears and she finally surrendered to everything, her breath catching in a small sob. Jason put an arm around her and squeezed tight. "Don't cry, Blue. I understand," It seemed strange holding her close again, such a simple action that he'd performed so many times before, the desire for which had haunted him for years. He dreamed about the feel of her body in his arms, and when he awoke, the pain was fresh and unbearable. "It's gonna take time. But I wanna make a new beginning. Can't we work on creating a relationship of equals, being partners who share everything-including their problems and fears no matter how bad they may seem?"

Amara pulled away, sniffling and looked up at him. Blue eyes clashed with brown for a brief moment before she finally nodded.

"Whenever you're ready to talk, I'm always here. Well, if I'm not working of course," He said with a grin, stroking her hair, her face. "I'm not the only one who misses your voice."

She laughed. A young, carefree laugh reminded him of bells. She brushed her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded again. She found to her amazement that this tender closeness was immensely pleasing. Her blood seemed to be spreading through her veins and making her light-headed. But boy, did she miss this.

* * *

"_Hey ho, hey ho, hey ho_," Moose and Camille sauntered through the elevator shaftway. The curly-haired dancer had his hands in the air, waving them from side to side and bouncing to _Naughty By Nature's Hip Hop Hooray_ instrumental, blaring from his Blackberry in his hand. "_Moose and Camille is in the hizzle, fresh to death, makin' the Pirates jizzle!_" He covered his mouth with his Blackberry hand, the other grabbing his crotch whilst running on spot on his tiptoes. "_Oooh_! I could so be apart of _Young Money_, eh Cam?"

Camille struggled to keep her face as neutral as possible because it was so farfetched, she wanted to laugh. "_Honey_, maybe you should stick to dancing," She patted her boyfriend's shoulder sympathetically. "Not all of us can be _Triple Threats_."

"Man, Kristin must have a book out on _Hateration_ or something."

She gave a dry snort then smiled. "Of course and I'm the _editor-in-chief_. All the best ideas came from me."

He looped his arms around her shoulders. "Who's the _dork_ now?"

Camille slid Moose a teasing look. "Still you, _Bobby_."

"Whenever you guys are done," Jason's deep voice rumbled. The young couple pivoted in his direction. Camille, embarrassed at the fact that they'd forgotten they were in the speaker-room and Moose was suppose to be meeting Jason here. "Anala's right. You guys are _sickeningly cute_."

Her face beet-red, she offered the ebony dancer a polite smile. "Hi, Jason. Sorry about…_that._"

"It's all good. I was only playin'."

Moose's arms slid away from her and turned off the music on his phone. "Yeah, Chameleon. I don't know why you're apologizing, Jason's just a _playa hater_."

Jason laughed easily. "Boy, please. I'm anything but that. If anything, your _playa hatin'_ on me. 'Cause I'm all around _amazing_."

"In what _universe_?"

"This one, _duh_. Man, you _white boys _are slow…"

"_Dissin'_. Now I see why you hatin' on me, because of the color of my skin, _rude_."

Camille stood there watching the pair continue their amusing banter. It was obvious that the two boys had developed a close friendship since Moose was recruited to the Pirates. She was happy that he was settling into the hustle and bustle of New York City so easily. She, having a bit more difficult but he made it worth her while.

She gave a startled jerk when some called loudly. "Cammie, you're finally here!" Camille glanced over her shoulder at Anala who bounded out of the kitchen, flour and various unknown spices dusting the apron she was wearing. "I see I came here in the nick of time," Her gaze was drawn to Moose and Jason who began working on the speaker while playfully arguing. "You can help us out with dinner."

"Sure," Camille turned to address Moose. "You gonna be okay without me, buddy?"

He smiled lazily, handing Jason a screwdriver. "_Fo sho_. Maybe you can pick up some new recipes. You can't keep feeding me _Mac n' Cheese_ forever, Cam. A man needs _variety_."

"Um, you're the one who _chooses_ to live off that stuff," She said dully. "I can _cook_ just fine, thank you," Her smile was wicked as she added, "You, on-the-other-hand, manage to burn rice…in the _microwave_."

Anala and Jason burst out laughing but Moose was not amused. "_Ha-ha_, very funny. Again with the _attacking of my self-esteem_? I thought we were past that. And Jay, shut it. You can't even make _ice_."

Anala took a hold of her elbow, her even white teeth revealed in a glad smile as the pair started bickering again. "Come on, girl. We have work to do."

* * *

"_Amara!_" Stix grabbed the wooden spoon she was using earlier to stir the ingredients in the saucepan and slapped the ebony girl's knuckles, causing her to drop some of the shredded cheese she was trying to sneak into her mouth.

She hissed painfully, cradling her now throbbing hand to her chest before glaring at the younger girl.

"Serves you right. That cheese is for the lasagna." She seized the bowl with the mixed cheeses and placed it near the baking dish, away from her greedy fingers. Glancing back at Amara, who was still glaring at her, she winked her way. "Love you, Blue."

She flipped Stix the bird.

"As you can see. The boys are nowhere to be found because their _lazy asses_ are too _busy_ playing _Halo_." Anala did not sound angry but the way she was slicing the tomatoes - all aggressively and such - made Camille think differently.

"You really are asking for a death wish, Nala," Stix piped in as she began placing the layer noodles, cooked chicken, soup mixture and cheeses into the baking dish. "They can't cook to save their lives. More like try and poison us. Like the last time. _Someone_ mistook _Rat Poison_ for _Baking Soda_. Long story short, Legz had to go to the hospital to get his stomach pumped. Good thing we knew better not to eat anything the boys cook." Once she was finished, she went and placed the dish into the oven.

"But he's okay now, right?" Camille's voice was laden with concern as she gently tore the lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces then tossed them into the salad bowl.

"Oh, yeah, he's fine now. Before, he couldn't dance properly for a few days. But he soldiered through it," Anala smiled over at her, dumping the tomatoes into the bowl also. "Camille, why are you all _tense_ and stuff? We're all friends here."

"Huh? Me? N-no, I'm fine." Should she tell her about her awkwardness around them when Moose wasn't by her side? Even only meters apart, her heart still yearned for his presence. She hoped she wasn't becoming one of those girls whose universe revolved around a guy. However, Camille came to the realization that he could never be classified as _some guy_.

"He's only in the other room, you know," A gentle smile curved Anala's lips as she grabbed a pair of wooden spoons and started tossing the salad. "Relax, C. Nothing's gonna happen to you two. You guys are two peas in a pod. So just have fun, babe! You only live once." She laughed aloud at the red flush that spread over the younger girl's face. She was so adorable!

Music sounded from the speaker-room, the pastel walls of the kitchen vibrated with the bass beat, followed by Moose and Jason's cries of triumph. The lanky dancer floated into the room. He looked so cute, his hair tousled, his eyes full of pride and a grin that widened his lips. "Waddap, ladies? Jason and I fixed the speaker. _Please_, _hold your applause_."

"Good, because someone here was _missing you like crazy_." Stix said with a hearty laugh. Camille gave her a sharp glance.

Moose smirked in his girlfriend's direction. "Is that true, Cam? Did you really miss your _sugar daddy_?" He came closer to her and propped a hip on the counter, batting his eyelashes at her.

She poked him in the ribs, the spot she knew he was most ticklish and her lips curved in gentle amusement when he jumped almost immediately. "This is a _no ego zone_, buddy and I'm not giving you the satisfaction by answering that question. So _tough luck_."

"_Oh_, _darn_. You really are _no fun_."

"I know. _How do I live with myself_?"

Moose rolled his eyes, smiling slightly and he took her hand in his. With a shock, he discovered he liked the touch of her warm flesh against his. Something he never felt when he was with Sophie. "Come on _Betty Crocker_. Time to show you what you're missin'," Then he turned back to the other girls and said, "Feel free to tag along. I think you all need a little _chill time_." With that, he led the way, the female Pirates in tow.

The start of _Busta Rhymes' Respect My Conglomerate_ surrounded them like a cocoon as they entered the speaker-room. The boys were already there, forming a circle around Jason who was freestyling in the middle. Their session circle expanded once the others joined, the atmosphere around them was charged with fun and excitement, inviting and contagious.

"Ow, _Superman_!" The Tick's chimed in at once, clapping.

Jason glided forward, the movement of his huge body surprisingly smooth and quick as he balanced himself on the balls of his feet with his knees bent outward and he spun around.

"He's really good." Camille stared at Jason's dancing form. She was filled with awe and an unparalleled sense of discovery.

Moose leaned over and grinned slyly. "He's one of the _best_."

Jason's body moved like liquid, silent as a shadow. His right arm rippled in front of him, shooting upward toward the bill of his superheros-fitted. Once it rested on his forearm, he crouched down, slipping it off in the process and balancing the hat on his arm while still maneuvering his body to the beat of the song. The Pirates' cheers and laughter filled the air but his mind, his eyes were focused on the blue-eyed girl in front of him.

His strong bare arms, corded with thick muscles, rippled and danced with his movements. His whole body spoke of strength and power as he wavered towards her. Amara's face burned as she suddenly realized that while she had been assessing his body, he had been watching her do so. She felt as strange and familiar sensation course through her when he stopped a few meters away from her. He bounced the hat off his forearm and into his hand, placing it onto her head and signaling it was her turn to go. He offered her a perfect, dashing smile and twin spots of color flushed her cheeks dusky rose as they switched positions.

Amara bounced around the circle once, amping up their crowd even though she didn't really need to. Her right arm slithered in the air, her left horizontally under it as her feet mimicked the movements of a serpent.

Camille's expression was very intent. Her moves were reminiscent of her older brother's. They were relatively easy to do, having him teaching her some basic moves when she was younger and she wondered if Amara was actually trying. She really did miss her brother, Tyler most of the time. They had lost contact when he moved to New York with Nora for their tour. It was around the time she transferred into MSA, back when she needed him the most. However, she'd met Moose and was able to shove the pain away into some dark, distant corner of her heart. Unconsciously she leaned closer to Moose, seeking the assurance that he would never leave her as Tyler did.

As though he read her mind, knew what her little movement meant, he put an around her shoulders and pulled her to his side. "You okay?" He whispered in her ear.

She shrugged slightly. "It's just-" She abruptly separated from him to catch the superheros-fitted that was suddenly thrown at her.

"Hey! Careful with my hat, woman!" Jason protested from the other side of the circle, glaring at Amara.

She ignored him then moved very slowly, exaggerating her movements as she slid to the ground smoothly. Her right leg was bent underneath her whilst popping in smaller intervals, faster than normal as her other leg twisted vertically until her toe pointed towards the ceiling.

"Wooooh! Get 'em, girl!" Anala shouted, pumping her fist into the air.

While still ticking to the music, Amara reached over with her right hand to grab her left foot then twisted the joined limbs slightly over her head. There arose a deafening disharmony of the crew's excited cries, heavily mingled with applause. Almost instantaneously, she was on her feet, blending the side-glide airwalk with the backslide until she was in front of Camille then parted her hands as if she were opening a sliding-door and grinned.

"Yo, Chamomile!" Terence shouted from across the circle. It was a nickname The Ticks came up for her one morning when Moose and she were at the Vault and she asked for Chamomile tea. Ever since then, the name rather stuck, even though her boyfriend found it to be very lame. Muttering something about them _pushin' up on his girl_. "You gonna take that from _Silent Ninja_? Show her _what's up_!"

Camille always classified her dancing as average. She never considered her moves polished enough, let alone usable in a battle. However, she promised Tyler she would never set foot in one anyways. "Uh…I think I'll pass…"

"_Pass_?" Moose shook his head. "There's no _pass_ in a battle, Cam. Remember who said they _got mad skills_? _You_ _did_. So go on and make _big poppa_ proud, girl."

She saw his smile and took it as a sign of encouragement. Suddenly remembering that the Pirates were waiting for her to make a move, she nervously bit her lower lip, gathering the courage to rise to the occasion. Tyler wasn't here and he didn't keep his promises, so why should she? Anala's advice sounded in her mind and she tossed Jason's hat to him. She couldn't stay the shy, little meek girl for the rest of her life. The sooner she faced this, the sooner it would be over. Camille closed her eyes, finding a suitable tempo to start with. _Now or never_. She stepped forward with her right foot, her chest popping to the beat of the music then mirrored it to the left. Her movements then became loose and fluid, trying to give the impression of a body lacking bones. Moose stood transfixed for a timeless instant. He could not move, could not think. Her freestyling was graceful but at the same time, hard-hitting and filled with confidence and a _badass_ attitude.

"Are you hittin' that?" He was so mesmerized by her dancing that he hadn't seen Aja slink up beside him.

"What?" Moose turned to the boy with the curls that outdid his own. "Do I look like _Chris Brown_? I don't do _violence_. _Pretty_ people like me don't do well in jail."

"Naw, bro. He didn't mean actually _hitting_ her," When had Shonnie join the conversation? "He meant _hittin'_ her." He grinned and moved his hips suggestively.

"Oh. _Oh!_" Moose's eyes widened, blushing furiously. He never dared to think of her in _that_ way. But there were some days his mind would wander down that dark path. _What would it be like? How would it feel?_ He often chastened himself for such thoughts because Camille was too pure, too special to be tainted by him. He valued their friendship, their relationship too much to have it be destroyed by that act.

Camille twisted herself into a triple spin, her body supported on the ball of her foot while the other rested flat against the side of her calve, and her leg bent at the knee, turned out. At the very last second of the final spin, she winked at him before dropping into a straddle split just as the track ended. Their circle broke apart as they were bouncing up and down, shouting their amazement. Yeah, he was so _lucky_ to have someone like her. "Naw, fellas. I'm cherishing her instead." Moose finally answered with a smile.

The boys gaped at him. "Man, your _weak_." Shonnie muttered and Aja could only nod in agreement because the words were taken right out of his mouth.

Moose shrugged a little, a warm gleam in his eyes as they darted back to a red-faced Camille while the crew surrounded her. Some clapping her on the back and others giving her daps. She looked over to him, their eyes meeting and she gave him a broad grin. "Yeah, I know. But _only_ when it comes to _her_."

* * *

I'm sorry if this chapter wasn't one of my best work and I'm also _really_ sorry if there wasn't a lot of alone time with Moose and Camille. I want them to interact with the other characters because the story would be just boring if it were always just them. And I'm just reminding everyone that this is also a Jason/OC fanfic. Their relationship plays a part in the Moose/Camille's relationship. Please give me feedback on my OC, I kinda worked hard to keep her a non Mary-Sue. Thank you guys again! **For those who are putting this story on their favorites and/or alerts, please leave me feedback! Because it is a motivator! =)  
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	5. Fast Forward

**AN: Thank you all for the amazing reviews. It means a lot to me that you enjoy Jason and Amara's relationship because I strive to make it believable. So this chapter is what you call a filler. I need to establish the relationship of both parties before I can get to the more fun and juicy stuff. ;) **

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

* * *

Weeks passed, as they often did. Time worked that way. It stood still for no man. The Pirates' lives were finally settling back into normalcy, only recently having a run-in with Julien and the House of Samurai in their club once more. He told them that they truly meant no harm and only came here to dance. However, they learned over the years that there was _always_ a double meaning behind Julien's words. But seeing nothing actually occurred that night, the House of Pirates quickly brushed off the encounter and continued to move forward.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny too much of their disappointment. Only because every Saturday, a selected few were always volunteered by Jacob to do grocery shopping, which they weren't big fans of. At the sight and sound of customers chattering and pushing their carts down row after row of neatly shelved products, Amara's ears buzzed with conversations and she rubbed her eyes with her forefinger and thumb feeling tired. Jason had dragged her out of bed ten o'clock this morning (not without a solid whack with her pillow), along with Vladd, Terence and Legz.

She adjusted her purple scarf more tightly around her neck, clearing her scratchy throat for the umpteenth time. The big lummox decided to sneeze on her – _by_ _accident, _he claims – when he was passing through a light cold a few days ago and got _her_ ass sick. Amara wasn't in the greatest mood at this moment and still the overly cheery, raven head store manager had spoken a high pitched _good morning_ to the quintet as they entered the store.

"You can't _still_ be mad at me." Jason had her wedged between the shopping cart and his body as they awkwardly scuffled past the junk food aisle. Their relationship was…_getting there_ (for lack of better words). He talked, she would listen. She said a few words at a time but everyone was just relieved she was at least speaking again.

Ignoring him, Amara checked her e-mail on her iPhone with one hand and flexed the fingers of her other. _Finally_, she was able to rid the _burden_ of her cast. The fact that she had the freedom to _scratch_, _wash_ and _use_ her hand again, made the blue-eyed dancer giddy. But the doctor had advised her not to put any pressure on it for the next few days.

"_Blue_," Jason whined from behind her, pressing his body more firmly against her back. It was such an innocent gesture but she nearly passed out from the fierce surge of excitement it generated.

Vladd grinned over at them as her cheeks flushed a little, a rare pink tinge appeared on her ebony skin, and held back a chuckle when she glared at him ferociously. It was his fault to begin with, making her talk to him the day the speaker had blown. _Stupid Robot._

"For the _billionth_ time: _I'm sorry I got you sick_," The graffiti guru carried on, "My offer for some TLC still stands. _C'mon, Lois_, just _forgive_ me already." He proceeded to pepper the side of her face with butterfly kisses. A soft giggle eased past her lips, betraying her sour mood while the other boys groaned loudly.

"Man, give us the list. You guys are _killin'_ us with this PDA thing," Terence muttered, holding out his hand and wanting to get away from these two as soon as possible.

Jason's facial expression was smug as he dug into the pocket of his sweats and pulled out the crumpled post-it note before handing it to him. "I have the list memorized. You guys get the big stuff. Blue and I are just gonna get the smaller things such as eggs, milk and all that jazz."

"All right, chief. But try not to get _busy_ in the dairy aisle." Legz tossed teasingly over his shoulder with a wink as the boys hastened down the aisle until they disappeared around a corner.

Amara turned a darker shade of red. She cleared her throat again before trying to wiggle away from Jason, still trapped between the cart and his body. Reluctantly, he let her go.

"Gonna talk?" He asked quietly as they started toward the dairy aisle, passing several shoppers who glanced at them curiously. The couple ignored them. "You can't ignore me _forever_, Mars. That's a _long ass_ time." He added with a smirk.

She glowered at him and knew he wouldn't give up until she spoke to him. Yes, it was cute at first but now it was getting downright irritating. She picked up two large egg cartons and placed them into the basket. Her campaign of silence ended with a sense of annoyance because he was right, only looking at him out the side of one eye. "_Quiet, Jason_." Her voice was low and raspy that always sent shivers down his spine.

The sessions with her speech therapist were doing a fairly good job. Traces of her deaf accent still lingered in her voice, having done the surgery for her CI implant a little after she first joined the House of Pirates. In that period, she was referred as the _deaf dancer_ who discovered her ability to dance by the vibrations of the music. Her movements spoke to _him_ especially and her disability was never a problem. Though, he knew in _her_ mind she thought about it differently. Moments after she left him _that _night, Anala enlightened him on Amara's inner turmoil throughout the relationship, how much she feared that he would leave her for a _normal_ girl. But of course, she had to walk in on that scene between him and nameless girl, proving her _suspicions _right (even though it was a complete misunderstanding from his perspective). After that whole fiasco, Jason was just glad things were finally falling back into place.

"Make me." He parked the cart to the side of the frozen foods aisle then opened his arms. "_I dare you._" A smile was spread across his face and his eyes danced with mischief. _Play fighting_, oddly enough, was one of their favorite pastimes. Romantic movies, moonlit strolls in the park or going out for dinner were always out of the question when it came to them. Roughing each other up until the other person gave in or worse,_ bled_, was their idea of _couple fun_.

Amara's brows rose in a silent challenge and he puckered his lips once, taunting her. A smug look, rivaling his own, sharpened her features as she tugged off her scarf, and then wrapped her phone in it before tossing them into the cart. "Sure you wanna do _this_ here?"

"Ain't a lot of people around. What, you afraid your gonna _lose_?"

Rolling up the sleeves of her sweatshirt, her heart giving a startling leap of pleasure, as it always did when his voice lowered to that velvety purr. "No. I just didn't want to _embarrass_ you in front of everyone when I _kick your pretty little behind_ _all over this store_," Her lips pulled back from her teeth in a slow, menacing smile. "But since you_ insist_." She exploded toward him, putting every ounce of power she had in her right hand and swung for his face.

In a quick, eluding movement, he caught her fist in one of his large hands, saving himself from another sickening blow to the face. "Damn, Mars. Your losing your touch_._" Without warning, he moved, his free hand swinging in a small ark below their joined hands then knocked the side of his fist against her ribs, releasing her when she stumbled back slightly.

Amara grunted then recovered, rubbing the spot with a small chuckle. "Nice shot_._ But your still a trash-talker I see. I guess my _lesson_ at the club wasn't enough for you. Don't worry, here's a _refresher's course_." She launched herself at him again and he prepared for another blind attack. They never held back when they fought. The Pirates' sometimes finding it difficult to differentiate between their _play fighting_ and their _actual fighting_. They both looked the same in their eyes. Quickly dropping to squat down onto her left leg, she placed both hands on the floor and swung her other leg three hundred and sixty degrees around to sweep the dancer's feet from underneath him.

Jason didn't know how long he lay flat on his back on the supermarket's floor, contemplating and calculating what in the _hell_ he did _wrong_. But when her laughing face came in his line of vision, blocking the bright lights overhead, he couldn't help but smile back. He welcomed the weight of her soft form that pressed heavily against him as she sat on his stomach. He wondered briefly if anyone were watching them since they were in the middle of the frozen foods aisle. "All right, _Blackie Chan_. You got me _good _this time, you win."

Amusement filled her gaze. "I know. I hope I didn't hurt you _too _bad."

He braced his hands behind him and she slid to his lap. "They call me _Superman_ for a reason, Babygirl. I _am_ _The_ _Man of Steel_, so _nothing_ can hurt me."

She socked him playfully. "Does that mean I'm your…_kry-kryptonite_? 'Cause _I_ took you down _quite easily_."

Jason's gaze widened with surprise and he nearly collapsed with sudden laughter. As bad as it sounded, he absolutely loved when she stumbled through certain words. It showed she was trying to perfect her speech and expand her vocabulary. Amara laughed too, laughed until her lips found his and they were kissing, after too damn long. They savored this moment, hoping it would never be their last. Their hearts suffered enough those two and a half years apart and they weren't going to give it up any time soon. "I better not get sick again." He said after they broke apart a few minutes later.

"It'll be payback." She cleared her throat, smiling softly. The thought of returning his _generous_ gift made her laugh evilly inside her head. If she had to suffer through this, might as well take him down with her.

"Both of you owe me twenty bucks." Vladd's voice chirped from behind Jason. The graffiti guru tilted his head back and Amara glanced over his shoulder.

"No way!" Terence protested from inside their shopping cart, his crossed legs buried beneath several bags of potatoes chips and different boxes of cereal. "You said _in front of the frozen pizzas_. _Clearly_, they're_ in front of the_ _waffles and pancakes_!"

Legz sighed, digging into his pocket to retrieve the said twenty. "Man, they're _practically_ right next to each other. Just give it up." He reluctantly handed the money to the Robot dancer's awaiting palm with another sigh.

The ebony couple rolled their eyes then pushed to their feet. "Y'all are some _shady_ _friends_. Who bets on their _boy_?" Jason muttered then dusted himself off.

"Apparently, _Robocop_ over here _does_." Terence tsked whilst shaking his head.

Amara was in the midst of re-wrapping her scarf around her neck when she noticed the items in the boys' cart. "I know those weren't on the list. That's all _junk_."

Legz shot her a look, scoffed then picked up the box of _Lucky Charms_. "Cereal is _not_ junk and it _was_ on the list." He shook the box for some kind of emphasis but that didn't prove anything. She rolled her eyes, remaining quiet.

"You were supposed to pick up _two boxes_ not _six_ and where does the _dozen _bags of chips come in? That _sure as hell_ wasn't _on the list_." Jason crossed his arms over his chest and quirked a questioning brow.

"We thought it would make a nice treat for the house." Terence gave him a thumbs-up, grinning broadly. Vladd shook his head from behind the two, indicating he had nothing to do with this.

Jason dragged a hand over his face roughly, making a mental note never take Terence or Legz with him again. "You guys are hopeless. We're putting this stuff back." He glanced over at Amara who was already behind their cart, ready to go. Her smile was bright and a soft flush highlighted her cheeks.

Yeah, he would go grocery shopping with _her_ more often.

* * *

Camille heaved a wistful sigh. Washington Square Park had to be one of her most favorite places in New York. The leaves on the trees had turned to vibrant reds and golds with a few bright blue leaves mixed amongst them. Some of these leaves had died and fallen to the ground signifying winter was near. This afternoon was comfortable enough, with a touch of chill in the air. Nonetheless, she enjoyed this moment thoroughly, the wind rustling her loose brown hair lightly.

Camille looked to the curly-haired boy devouring his third bag of gummy bears and all romantic emotionalism died. They sat sideways on a lone park bench away from the large crowd of NYC students, facing one another. The weeks had flown by in a blur of notes, studying and test for all students. When the weekend finally approached, everyone was more than eager to shed his or her responsibilities for the next two days, Camille especially. She practically jumped up at Moose's invitation of getting out of the stuffy school for the day.

However, this wasn't what she expected.

He was in (what he believed to be) a disguise, wearing her pair of Ray-Ban Mirror Aviators and a black trucker hat pulled down low. The boy was _beyond_ paranoid; convinced the balloon-man (he dubbed the salesman) was still after him since the '_balloon liberation'_ incident on orientation. "Will you get a _grip_? He doesn't work on weekends, you know that." Camille finally hissed when he glanced about uneasily for the seventh time, gnawing on her nerves.

Moose swung back to face her, the body of green gummy bear poking out from between his lips. He inhaled the rest of it quickly before answering, "That's what he wants me to think. He could be lurking around, ready to kill me with his _helium tank_!"

"_Those_," she nodded to the half-eaten bag of candy he clutched tightly in his grasp. "are gonna be the ones to _kill you_. Dude, you already ate two bags in the span of twenty minutes. That's your _third_. I believe its time to cut you off."

Moose scoffed. "This is my _comfort food_. I have a _crazed balloon-man killer_ after me and eating _these_ is my coping mechanism. He brought to opening of the bag to his lips then tipped his head back to polish off the remainder of the gummy bears.

A grimace crossed Camille's face, unfortunately being the one to witness, first-hand, his unhealthy addiction. "Ugh. That's _disgusting_. I'm going into a _diabetic coma_ just by _watching_ you. It's like _feeding time _at the zoo."

"You're suppose to take me _for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health_-"

"We're not getting _married_, Moose," She interrupted with a chuckle, though the thought had crossed her mind from time to time. "I'm just tryna save you a trip to the hospital," She looked amused for a moment, then irritated. "And will you _please_ take off my glasses? Its weird watching me talk."

Moose glanced around the park again. "And risk _him_ seeing me?" Her expression was murderous when his eyes darted back to her and he knew then that she meant serious business. With an exaggerated sigh of despair, he removed the glasses and his tone lowered, "_There. _I hope you're prepared for when I turn up missing tomorrow…"

"Oh stop it. You're being paranoid again."

"_Am I_?" He asked incredulously, voice rising an octave. "I was gonna name you sole heir to my fortune," Moose's eyes narrowed. "But now you ain't getting jack."

"I don't think your collection of hats and CDs count as a _fortune_," Camille said with a grin and dodged his playful attempt to whack her. "I'm just sayin'"

"No. _You're just dissin'_," he eyed her considerably. "Who knew my future wife would be a straight up _gold digger_."

Camille sat perfectly still in silence, a silence that became a roar in her mind, until she abruptly realized she had stopped breathing. A small shocked gasp of breath brought an avalanche of emotions crashing over her. "_F-future wife_? You're joking, right?" She croaked, trying to quiet her thundering pulse and hoping to God that he wasn't being serious.

Moose was ever quick, eyes suddenly brilliant as a lopsided grin tilted his lips. "Well, _duh!_ Of course, I was joking. I'm too young to be thinking about marriage. I have too many lives to _change_ and _inspire_. You thought I was being serious, you're so silly, Chameleon." He tapped the end of her nose gently and she couldn't help but giggle, despite the blood pounding in her ears.

"You know?" Camille's laugh sounded hollow, strained and she doubted he'd even noticed. "It is kinda ridiculous. Besides, I can't be married to someone with a _gummy bear addiction_. All our money would be funding your trip to _rehab_." However, the idea of marrying Moose wasn't unappealing. Well not right this second of course, needing to finish school and establish a career first. If faith worked in their favor, it could happen someday.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

His voice startled her, not realizing the silence they'd fallen into. "Hm?"

"I said:_ penny for your thoughts_."

"My thoughts are worth more_ than a penny_."

Moose rolled his eyes, shifting his body to lean back against the bench. "That's all the money I have on me, so take it or leave it."

"I'll leave it because my thoughts are _priceless_," Camille grinned cheekily, as she pushed back her hair, catching Moose's gaze. "Anyways, what's up?"

"Why don't you dance anymore? I mean, back in high school I tried to get you to join the MSA crew, but you flat out refused. What was up with that?"

Camille toyed with her hands, taking a deep breath of reluctance then spoke softly, "I made a promise to Tyler." She paused, hesitating before continuing, "I told you what happened with his best friend's little brother. Ty just wasn't the same after that…"

Moose studied her thoughtfully, seeing for the first time the control she placed on her emotions. He knew the relationship she and her older brother shared was strained now. However, he never missed the love and admiration in her voice when she spoke of him. Being an only child, he'd never exactly experienced that type of bond with anyone. Sure Andie was the closest thing to being an older sibling, but deep down he knew it wasn't the same. He wondered what she and Chase were doing. After they graduated from MSA, Andie had gone to Texas for the summer, Chase surprisingly accompanying her. Moose had devoted all his time and energy into planning his career path, that they had lost touch. One day, he hoped, they _would_ reconnect.

"So he didn't want you dancing?"

Camille shook her head, her brown hair rippling in the wind. "It's kinda complicated. He just…he didn't want to lose me the way Mac lost Skinny. He didn't want to…_fail_. Tyler can be a little _extreme_ sometimes. This is so hard to explain without it confusing you."

Moose shrugged, scratching the back of his head through his hat. "I'm a pretty clever guy. I think I can keep up. so continue."

Camille rolled her eyes before continuing. "Okay. Um, Tyler knew about _The Streets_ competition and he knew how _ugly_ those things could get. He never had a problem with me _dancing_, he just didn't want me apart of _that_. So Tyler made me promise I wouldn't get involved in battling and stuff like that."

"But you danced with us at the _World Jam_. You basically broke your promise…" He searched her face for meaning, wanting to understand her actions.

Camille reached out, small hands closing over his shoulders. She leaned close and smiled softly. "I broke my promise for _you_. Moose, you were finally including me in your dreams, in your passion for dancing and I didn't wanna lose you again. _I couldn't_. Not when I finally got you back."

The emotion her confession brought him left him speechless. All he could do was open his heart to embrace her as he drew her into his arms. "Really, Camille? You did that for_ me_?"

She pulled back and looked up into his face. "_Yes_!" Camille nearly shouted. "How many times do I have to tell you that _I love you_. I've loved you for a really long time which compelled me to do the things I did, you _dope_."

Moose's gaze filled with wonder at her revelation. He thought he would drown in the love he saw in her eyes. He wondered again what he ever saw in Sophie Donovan and how he could have ignored this beautiful, amazing girl before him. "You're amazing, you're wonderful. Words can't describe what I'm feelin' for you right now." With a burst of giddy excitement, he jumped up to stand on top of the bench.

Camille became aware of the curious glances and stares their way from passing bystanders and their fellow NYC students. Blushing crimson, she tugged at his cargo pant leg. "_Moose_, _get down_! Everybody's watching!"

"Let 'em!" Moose replied happily, staring down at her with tenderness and love. "My fellow New Yorkers, I have an announcement to make! _I, Robert Alexander III, heart Camille Naomi Gage!_"

Was it possible to die from happiness and embarrassment at the same time? Her cheeks felt as if they were on fire. This boy will be the death of her.

* * *

Thank you all for reading this story, I really appreciate it! **I want some reviews! **Please, Of course. Lol. Amara and Jason's relationship is based on my own personal experience. My ex-boyfriend (best friend now) and I use to play fight all the time, no matter where we were. Yes, blood was shed, we both have scars to prove it. LOL! Also, I hope my reasoning for Camille's absence in 2nd movie was believable. **So please leave me feedback! I heart you all! =)**


	6. Insight

**A/N: I know it's been a long time but depression does that to you. You'd like to be alone. I've been struggling with this for years and it's a very hard thing to go through. I struggled with this chapter a bit because I had to actually sit myself down and force myself to write it. I hope it's good.**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

* * *

"So I heard through the grape vine that you and Camille Gage are dropping outta school to elope and move to _Canada_ to raise _polar bears_."

Moose's brown eyes had shifted forward, momentarily abandoning the words on the page of his Engineering textbook, and glanced at the dark-skinned girl seated across from him with a baffled expression. The student lounge had been so noisy that he almost didn't hear her pronouncement. "What the _hell_? What'chu talkin' 'bout, Iggy?"

Agnes Taylor, more commonly known as Iggy, regarded him with an impassive expression but her dark-brown eyes were sparkling with mirth. Pulling a _Twizzle_r whip from the pack that lay beside her Advanced Calculus textbook, she took a small bite then chewed slowly. "You heard me, Moose. When were you planning on telling me, hm? I mean, _shoot_, you're moving to another country and no goodbye?"

"I repeat: _what'chu talkin' 'bout, Iggy?_"

Moose's roommate, Alvin Sherburne, huffed from beside her then slammed his Chemistry book shut. His cousin could be so ridiculous sometimes and a little overwhelming when it came to conversing with others. He rubbed the underside of his jaw, exhaustion suddenly washing over him. Why did he have to have study period with her, out of all people? "Iggy, give it a rest," he grunted, gaze narrowing at her sharply. "He obviously hasn't heard."

"Heard about _what_? Guys, you're killin' me here." Moose's gaze bounced from one cousin to the other. Things were much easier in high school. He knew everything about everyone, ranging from _who's datin' _to _who's hatin'_, latest trends and his personal favorite, _death by embarrassment_ (not in the literal sense of course). However, once arriving at NYU, he was so out of the loop, too many students to keep track of. Therefore, he had decided to focus on himself, rather than other people.

Iggy finished her licorice whip with a smack of her lips and brushed back some of her bushy locks from her eyes. "Your declaration at Washington Square Park? _I heart Camille Naomi Gage_?" She asked very softly, each question spaced for maximum emphasis. "It's all over campus."

The curly-haired dancer sat back in his chair, a little stunned. "And people are talkin' smack 'cause of _that_?" He considered the situation and didn't know whether to laugh or curse. Unable to come to a decision, he rubbed the back of his neck then stretched lazily. "Its whatever. They're makin' me famous that way, anyways. So no biggie, guys."

Alvin shook his head. "_Yes_, biggie, man. Do you realize you gained the reputation as _Camille's lapdog_?"

"Not to mention the other rumors going around," Iggy added, slightly piqued. "You'd think people would grow up once they gotten to Uni." She exhaled through her nose distinctly, thoroughly irked that students were gossiping about the sweetest guy in the world.

"_Lapdog_?" Moose said aloud, oblivious to the stares that were sent his way. Rumors were usually child's play to him because he endured most of them at MSA. He realized then, he couldn't control what others said about him and he chose to ignore it. However, his manhood had been called into question and that royally pissed him off. "Yo, they don't know me! I'm from the _projects_! _I will set if off up in this biach_!"

The cousins cast him a look that implied he was daft. "_Dude_," Alvin drawled, "You're from _Baltimore_ and no you won't, _Madea_." He looked at Moose and couldn't help but grin. The dancer was a very animated character, even in the worst possible situations. Nonetheless, it made him all the more fun to be around. "Everyone's trippin', bro. 'Cause no guy here would do _that_ for a girl. So it's natural for people to start talking about it."

"How long have you known this girl for, anyways?" Iggy asked, tilting her head to one side. "Haven't you guys been only dating for like a _month_? And you already _love_ her?" Cocking a dark brow, she scrutinized him for a long moment, awaiting his answer.

"A little judgmental, _Agnes_." An angry scowl appeared on Alvin's face when she said nothing and continued to stare at Moose, eager to know more about his relationship.

He laughed suddenly, surprising them both and waved off his roommate's hostility. "Al, chill. I've dealt with her _kind_ before,"

"Ha!" Alvin chuckled, nudging his cousin's shoulder. "See? Told you you weren't human."

"Die slow, homie." Iggy replied, pretending not to be affronted. She turned her attention back to Moose, ignoring her cousin's chuckling. "Speak now or your roommate will disappear."

"Meh…" He shrugged, nonchalant. "The school is full of replacements."

"That hurts, man," Alvin said, bringing his hands to his heart to emphasize his point. "What? I have no sparkling in your eye? I thought I was _irreplaceable_…"

"Oh, fine, quit beggin'," The curly-haired boy returned teasingly. Then he addressed Iggy with a smile. "To answer your inquiry, I've known Camille since tenth grade. We've been best friends ever since."

She nodded soberly, and then leaned forward. "Loved her for that long, huh?"

He mindlessly toyed with the green ballpoint pen wedged between the pages of his textbook. "Actually I didn't. I didn't even like her in _that_ way. She was one of my best buds and that's all I saw her as." Moose was silent for a moment, reminiscing on their times back in high school. "I knew she _liked me-liked me_ but I pretended to be oblivious in order to protect our friendship. I've seen what relationships have done to best friends. Ninety percent of the time, they ain't best friends after they break up."

A frown crossed Alvin's features. "But aren't you afraid of that now you two are dating? Kinda contradicted yourself there, buddy."

"I owe her," Moose admitted with a small sigh, "After all the garbage I put her through, ignoring her feelings for me, she deserves this."

Iggy instinctively reached across the table and gently patted one of his hands. "If that's the case, don't you think she deserves someone better? And I'm not sayin' your not Moose," she added quickly, "I'm just-its not fair to her not knowing the only reason why your with her is because you feel obligated."

A dark cloud seemed to have enveloped Moose. She watched him and sighed inwardly. She surely regretted her truthful words, and hoped the boy would soon realize what he was doing before it was too late.

Having enough of his gloomy bullshit, Alvin threw his hands into the air and let out an exasperated sigh, looking at Moose squarely. "Do you love her, yes or no?"

"Yeah."

"And if we didn't say anything, would that have changed?"

"Not really."

"Then?" he asked, his tone impatient, "make it work, Alexander. If you love this chick to the point where you're jumping up on benches and making a complete _dumbass_ of yourself, then that should be a good enough reason. And if she finds out that you feel obligated to be with her instead, then dude, your going to lose her for sure."

The bell rang suddenly, indicated the end of the period. Not much studying had taken place between the three students but it gave Moose the opportunity to seek guidance from his closet friends. Alvin had left him with three simple words.

"_Think about it_,"

His advice was vague but straight forward, though it left him feeling a tad bit apprehensive. Maybe he should call Jason later for a second opinion.

* * *

"Put your phone away."

"Ain't nobody here though…"

Monday always seemed to be the slowest weekday for _Foot Locker_ in _Kings Plaza Mall_, especially during the afternoons and certainly a pain in Jacob's ass. That was normally when he had his shift, and as usual only a few customers came in only to try on shoes, not purchase. It was somewhat depressing and overall frustrating for him, lack of sales eating away at his patience and time seemed to tick by endlessly. His employees weren't making things any easier. Jason's elbows were propped on the front desk, phone in hands and busily typing away with a slight frown. The S. Twins had indulged themselves in a small conversation by the men's footwear display, contemplating on which shoes to use their employee discount on.

Jacob closed his eyes against the full ache that had been brewing in his head since his arrival at the store this afternoon, no doubt caused by the tension and endless hours of sleep. Jason was suppose to be manning the front desk, not having an texting argument with his girl or whatever her current title was because he was the reason why she was sick in bed. "I will not repeat myself. I'm not in the mood." He grunted from the opposite side of the desk.

With a sigh, Jason flipped his Sidekick closed then slipped it into his pocket. He looked over at his assistant manager, his expression sympathetic. "Bro, you need to chill. I understand the stress is gettin' to you, but come on, fam. You gotta relax and quit being so uptight."

Jacob grabbed the clipboard and a pen from beside the cash register and started on next week's schedule, having half a mind to give Jason extra hours as payback. "I'm not _uptight_." He said crisply. The pain in his temples progressed into a constant throbbing to the point where he had to cut his opinion short.

The graffiti guru reached across the desk and rested a hand on the Ugandan's shoulder. "Maybe you need a woman. A nice, brown-suga type of girl to relieve some of that…_stress_." He finished with an impish grin.

"You know, back in my country, they taught us how to break an arm in fifty different places." Jacob's voice was devoid of any emotion, face stoic. However, Jason could have sworn he'd seen a ghost of a smile when he retracted his hand quickly as if burned. "And I don't have time to date. I'm too busy with the Pirates, The Vault, work, and et-cetera."

"We're sorry, Señors, we must object." The Santiago Twins slinked up to front desk after finally coming to an agreement on which shoes to get next week and having heard their co-workers' conversation.

"_Ah-ah_, I say no such thing. No objection came from my mouth. Therefore, you say _I __must object_, not _we_, baby brother." The twin wearing the white beanie interrupted firmly.

"But I thought we're in this together? That's why I say _we_ instead of _I_." His brother in the black beanie replied in annoyance.

Jacob had them distinguish themselves from each other in some way. If it were in hats, shoes, and sometimes even jewelry. It made things much easier on customers whenever wanting assistance from either twin. "Is there a point to all of this?" he sighed heavily, reaching up to gingerly rub the pads of his fingers on his temple. "I just don't have time right now."

The S. Twin donned in the black beanie snapped his fingers, remembering why he entered their conversation in the first place. "Ah, yes. Jacob, women are beautiful, sensual creatures," he turned toward the store's entrance just as a quintet of giggling girls stopped and waved over at him. He blew them all kisses, causing them to giggle louder. "and they need men like you to appreciate their beauty." He turned back to Jacob with a wistful sigh.

"Why don't you take a picture, it will last longer," A rough feminine voice said from somewhere behind the small mob of teenagers. "Move it or lose it, powder puffs." Mya emerged from between the girls, Legz in tow with a large slushy between his hands. Some turned to eye the small ebony girl, not quite believing she actually spoke to them like that and others cast flirtatious smiles Legz's way but he ignored them.

Offended, the girls' scoffed, turning away with an impudent flounce of their tresses and trudged away, clearly embarrassed. "Better luck next time, girlies." Mya knew it sounded bitchy and probably a little snobby but she smiled anyway. Somebody needed to put these little girls in their place, not that she thought it was right but she needed a little fun after what happened this morning. Especially on her day off. "What it do, boys? Workin' hard or hardly workin'?"

"Ah, Señorita, you're lookin' lovely this afternoon," The S. Twin in the white beanie mock bowed to her.

"More than lovely. You look _radiant_." The other twin purred, his eyes filled with admiration.

His brother turned to him, "Why must you show me up?"

"I'm not showing you up. I'm just sayin' _my_ opinion." Their indistinct bickering began and the others groaned.

"_Welcome to Foot Locker, how may we help you_?" Jacob recited sarcastically and laughter resounded round the store from those who were listening and even he had joined in and the mood seemed to lighten. "What's up, you two?"

"We got a visit from Carlos earlier," Legz then took a large sip of his blueberry slushy, wincing when flavored frozen drink gave him a slight brain freeze.

"Whoa," Jason came around the front desk, looking shocked. "What did he want? Did he do anything? Is Amara okay?" He had Legz's biceps in a vise-like grip by the end of the second question.

"_Ow, man_!" The breakdancer whined, "Ease up on my dancing arms, Superman, they're _breaking_!" Finally wrenching free from his grip, he sidestepped away from him and grudgingly began rubbing his throbbing biceps. "_Damn_, nothing happened. He only came to deliver a message from Julien."

"A message from Julien? What does he want now?" An S. Twin asked, flabbergasted. The Pirates thought the run-in at the club a few weeks ago was nothing to worry about. Now it seemed they should've kept their guard up.

Jacob tilted his head quizzically. "Well?" He prodded both crew members, the suspense extremely overwhelming. "what did he want?"

Mya's lips pressed into a grim line, "The man wants to talk to Moose."

* * *

"Duck! Tree! Crash! Jen, what is _that_?"

Jenny stopped her sporadic movements and started at Kristin pointedly. "Well maybe if you didn't suck at this, you'd know," She bit back and resumed her miming before time ran out. This always seemed to happen when they were teamed together, definitely maintaining their losing streak.

"_3_…_2_…_1_…_time_!" From Camille's hand, the timer chimed and both of her friends' shoulders slumped in unison. They did not look happy. "What was it, Jenny?" She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth to keep herself from laughing aloud. The fact that Kristin and Jenny could not defeat Moose and she at a simple game of _Charades_, was extremely hilarious, especially when her roommate glared at her furiously.

The raven-haired girl shot Kristin another hard look and gritted, "The movie: _Cars_."

"_What_?" Her teammate screeched loudly, thankfully her voice was someone drowned out by the indistinct chattering within the student lounge. "How was this," she mimicked Jenny's earlier movements with a deep scowl. "the movie: _Cars_?"

Sticking her tongue out at her, she dropped into the empty armchair beside Moose who was staring blankly into space. Tonight he was unusually quiet, having been use to his non-stop babbling. _Fairly strange_. She thought.

Camille turned to Moose slightly since she was seated on the opposite side of him. "Moose? Its our turn," He sat as silent as a stone, unresponsive. Maybe he hadn't heard her. "Earth to Moose," she waved a hand in front of his face and he blinked, gaze unfocused. "Welcome back!"

Even though his mind was still reeling, he offered her a crooked smile so she wouldn't become suspicious of his odd behavior. He needed time to collect his thought privately, not wanting her to question him and intrude on anything that could possible hurt her. "Gee, thanks, Cam. Me and _ET_ were in the middle of a dance battle. I was winning."

Kristin quirked a brown brow then scoffed, "You're weirder than I thought, Alexander."

Moose smiled over at her, undaunted. "Don't be jealous 'cause you can't have all this," He dragged his hands down the sides of his body with a slight shimmy-shake. Camille sniggered behind her hand while Jenny took a sip of her diet Pepsi, swallowing a smile.

Kristin flicked a speck of lint on her jeans then gave him a long, lazy smile. "You don't even peak my interest, _string bean_. Camille, maybe, you, _ugh_."

He shrugged his shoulders casually and leaned back against the cushion of the chair. "I didn't realize you swing that way. Sorry if my manliness offends you," he steered his gaze to Camille, "Honey, I think you'd wanna get a new roommate. Kris might try something while your sleeping." He sent a wink Kristin's way.

"Why you-!" She growled, feeling roiling anger at him but more at herself. She'd set herself up for that one. Kristin was halfway out of her seat, ready to pummel the boy when Camille jumped up and came in between them.

"All right, children. Let's settle down and get back to _Charades_," Camille discreetly shot Moose _that_ look, silently telling him to knock it off and he held up his hands in surrender, grinning like a madman. Kristin grudgingly sat back down and folded her arms tight across her chest, head turned away slightly. Yeah she was going to hear about this later...

He fished his Blackberry from the pocket of his jeans and checked the time. Eight o'clock on the dot and his cue to leave. "Um, well its been rad, ladies, but I gotta go." He stood and began gathering his stuff, shoving various papers and an unopened can of diet Coke into his book bag.

Camille stood also, surprised he was calling it a night so early. "Wait, your leaving now? Its barely eight…"

"It is eight," he replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder, "I have…homework. Yeah! Big test coming up."

She placed both hands on her hips and looked him squarely in the eye. "Your lying."

"What-how-? No I'm not."

"Yes you are, you _hesitated_. What's really going on, Moose?"

Sweat seemed to gather at the collar of his shirt. He absolutely hated lying to her, and always vowed never to do so. However, this was one of those times where he _needed_ to and really had no choice in the matter. In an act of desperation, Moose pointed off to the side, face impassive. "Yo, what's that?" Inside, he jumped for joy when she took the bait, turning to follow his finger. He acted quickly and zipped away just as Camille was turning back around, probably to give him a thorough tongue-lashing.

But she met an empty space instead.

"That boy-!" Camille grounded out, utterly infuriated with Moose pulling that childish stunt. Why on earth, was he avoiding her? There was definitely something he was hiding from her and she was determined to find out. This was so confusing. One day, he's fine and the next, he's all skittish. What was going on in that little head of his?

Kristin snorted unattractively, combing her fingers through her ponytail. "And that's the guy who gives you butterflies? Cam, you can do a lot better." Jenny thought otherwise but remained silent, taking another sip of soda.

Camille said nothing, slipping herself into his previous seat. _No, I can't_.

* * *

Moose rushed into his dorm-room, dropping his bag where he stood (behind the closed door where either him or Alvin could trip over and possibly kill themselves) and kicked off his black Nike high tops in a nearby corner. Several open books lay on the desk on which the lamp been left on. Alvin must had been engaged in reading and probably stepped out for a moment since he was nowhere to be found. All the better for him because he could contemplate in peace and call Jason.

He threw himself on his unmade bed, glad his mother wasn't here to hound him constantly about keeping clean…and wearing deodorant everyday. Which he did anyways, regardless of her daily reminders. Though, he wasn't afraid to admit he missed his parents…a lot. But he had to grow up sometime he was a man now.

A man who missed his mother's nagging. That was so _uncool_.

Moose shook his head with a small smile while grabbing his laptop and powering it on. Seizing his phone, he thumbed number four on his speed dial then pressed the mobile to his ear. It rang for a short moment until he picked up.

"'_Lo?"_

"Jason, my man! Waddap, Superman?" Moose typed _Lady Gaga_ into _YouTube's_ search engine, one of his latest guilty pleasures. That girl was beyond _sick_. There was a wail of a police or ambulance siren on the other line that temporarily drowned out Jason's voice. "What? I didn't catch that, repeat,"

"_I said I'm at Methodist Hospital..."_ His voice sounded distressed, which instantly sent Moose into panic mode.

"Yo, what happened? Who's hurt? Was it the House of Samurai who did-"

"_Yooo, breathe, man! No, the Samurai aren't involved. It's Amara."_

Moose sat up in his bed, pausing _Lady Gaga's_ _Alejandro_ video. "Did she…die?"

"_Please, don't say that. No, she didn't. She had a fever over an hour ago and we couldn't break it, so we had to call 911."_

"Do you need me to come down? I'd have to catch the bus so it would take me kinda long to get there…"

Jason sighed heavily and it made Moose realized how important this girl was to him. _"Naw, man. You have curfew_," Then he laughed, sounding like himself again. "_But thanks anyways. Anala and Vladd are here to keep me company."_

"Okay, bro. I'll leave you so you can go back to your girl. She's gonna make it through this, so don't stress yourself out too much."

"_Thanks, Moose. But I can spare a few minutes, God's watching over Blue for me. Besides, this has to be important for you to be callin' instead of textin'. What's up?"_

Moose scratched the top of his unruly head then sighed into the receiver. Slowly but surely, he retold every aspect of the conversation he had with his friends early this afternoon. Jason remained silent during his monologue, making him a little antsy when he finished and the graffiti guru still said nothing. He fidgeted, switching the phone to his other ear. "Jason, you still with me? Did I scare you with my girl moment?"

"_Did you talk to Camille about it?"_

"Uh, kinda ran away from her today…"

"_Fail."_

"I got scared, okay. Which I know is pretty rare for me since I'm so fearless most of the time."

"_Fail times two. But that Uggy girl is right, you know."_

Moose burst out laughing, laughing so hard that tears came to his eyes and he paused to wipe them away. "Her name is _Iggy_ as in _Agnes_. Oh, man! Wait 'till I tell her, she's going to flip out!" His mirth finally settled and he allowed himself to fall back against the pillows, careful of his precious laptop where _Gaga_ awaited. "But yeah, I know she's right. I just wanted a second opinion, you know? Making sure I do this right."

"_I'm touched,"_ Jason chuckled, and the _whooshing_ of the hospital's pneumatic doors followed. _"Relationships can be tough, but if you're with the right person that should rarely happen."_

"Do you love, Amara?"

There was a slight pause. _"I guess we're kinda in the same position, huh? Don't get me wrong, the girl's amazing. She keeps me on my toes and makes my time here with the Pirates worth my while,"_

"Hey, no love for Moose?"

"_I got mad love for you, bro. In a platonic kinda way, of course. But __**love-love**__ right now? I'm twenty-two years old; I haven't even began livin' my life yet. So, I'm in __**extreme like**__ with Amara. The easiest way at this moment."_

Moose nodded, more to himself. Jason's words made a lot of sense to him. But did he really want to take the easy way? He was the type of guy to rise to the occasion and rush head first into danger. Well, when it came to dancing, really. Running away from Camille proved that today. He could apply that to his relationship because one thing was for sure, he _did not_ want to lose her. "We have a long road ahead of us, Jay,"

"_Ain't that the truth,"_ Suddenly, there was a murmur of voices on Jason's end, sounding quite happy and relieved. Must have been good news. _"Thank God-Moose?"_

"Yep, that's me."

"_Funny. The doctors were finally able to break Mars' fever, but they're keeping her overnight for observations 'cause her fever was pretty high when she came."_

"That's great to hear! See? I told you she'd make it. That girl's a fighter."

"_Yeah. I'm staying with her tonight. Don't have work tomorrow, thank God. But I gotta go see her, so I'll text you tomorrow."_

"Call me instead. Don't have class until one."

"_a'ight, later bro."_

"Peace. Oh and Jason?"

"_Yeah?"_

"You _so_ love her."

"_Shut up, I like her severely."_

Moose sniggered, glancing up at the ceiling. "_What would Jesus do_?"

* * *

**Wow in all the excitement, Jason forgot to mention to Moose that Julien was looking for him. Until next time then.**

**I also don't own any of the places mentioned in this chapter.  
**

** Thank you all for taking the time to review my story. I really hope the interaction between Jason and Moose was believable and all the other characters in this story. I had to have a scene with The Santiago Twins, they were just so amazing in Step Up 3. If your favoriting or putting this story on your alerts, leave me a review and tell me what you think. It would really help getting me out of my little funk. Thank you again! =)**


	7. Breathe

**A/N: Sorry guys I know it's been so long but I've been battling with depression and the amount of reviews I gotten last chapter was a little discouraging. Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for those who have been adding this story to their alerts and favoriting it. Oh and not to mention the awesome reviews as well. Thank you so much! I didn't believe this story would become so popular. Anyways, the updates won't be so long between each chapter because in my absence I have written a couple of chapters. Anyways enough of this, on with the story! =)**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize

* * *

Icy shards of rain hammered relentlessly against the glass window during the last few minutes of her English lecture. It was not a gentle autumn shower that touched the earth, this was one if autumn's cruel parting shots. Discreetly, Camille checked the screen of her Blackberry for the umpteenth time in hopes of any kind of indication or message that her curly-headed companion was all right. Her attempts of contacting him last night failed miserable when both her text messages and phone calls went unanswered. Frustration and disappointment bubbled at the pit of her stomach, as there were no new messages awaiting in her inbox.

The eighteen-year-old sighed disheartened, tucking her phone back into the front pouch of her dark hoodie, then twirled a piece of her hair idly between her fingers. She tried her earnest to pay attention to her English professor as he droned on, but she didn't have the energy nor the attention span. However, it would be in her best interest to least try and absorb the information that's been given to her. After all, this was apart of her future. But her mind was currently racing, almost making her dizzy in her seat. Camille was worried, maybe a little obsessive about the whereabouts of her boyfriend. She knew his classes didn't start until one but she was well…worried!

This dependency began to gnaw at her insides. She did not like feeling as though her whole world would crumble if he weren't near. It galled her that she couldn't overcome her insecurities and be her own person. She could take the easy route and blame aspects of her past or childhood in general, but she was taught to take things with a grain of salt and make the best of every experience.

Camille heaved another great sigh, her eyes darting towards the dark window and finally deciding that she would just have to talk to him…_again_. There would be a few minutes in between classes to spare, giving her enough time (hopefully) to deliver a thorough tongue-lashing.

Her mundane dreams were interrupted when the bell rang shrilly, signaling for her plan to be put into action. She quickly stood and stuffed her school materials into her messenger bag and scurried out of the room. She wove around loitering students in the hallway until her mobile vibrated in her pocket. Carelessly, she glanced down while still walking-then smacked right into someone coming the opposite way. They both released tiny noises as they toppled over. Camille managed to catch herself but the other person fell onto their tailbone and released a painful hiss.

"_Jeez_, Gage. _Walk_ much?" Her roommate's disgruntled voice sounded as she struggled to her feet then dusted her bottom of any dirt or grime from the floor.

"Oh, shoot! I'm _sooo _sorry, Kris!" The brunette offered hastily, feeling her cheeks heat with mild embarrassment.

"Oh don't worry, hun. My _tailbone_ broke the fall." she said sarcastically with a tight smile before picking up her discarded book bag that was wrenched from her grasp during the collision. Camille let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of her neck in a very Moose-like fashion. Kristin had forgotten about her roommate's lack of hand-eye coordination. If it were any other freshman at NYU, she would've verbally chewed them apart. But, luckily for Camille, she'd grown a liking for her. Moose…not so much.

Instead, Kristin rolled her eyes at her.

The corner of the smaller brunette's lips twitched as if tempted to smile but ruled against it, unsure if it were a safe thing to do given the current situation. She'd just knocked her roommate to the ground (unintentionally) over a text message that could possible be from her M.I.A boyfriend.

"Again, I'm totally sorry. I-I-just didn't wanna be late for class!" Camille winced inwardly at her slight change in vocal pitch, which normally happened when she lied. It was near impossible to get away with anything when her foster mother, Lena caught her just as the fib poured from her mouth. Tyler would usually observe the scene from his spot on the staircase and laugh heartily when she was sentenced to her room for the rest of the day. Malcolm always felt sorry for her and snuck past both foster parents to served her punishment with her to keep his older sister company.

Her lips curved upward at the distant memory.

"_Helloo_? Did you hear what I said?" Camille snapped out of her reverie, casting Kristin another sheepish look. "Seeing as you weren't listening, I'll say it again: our afternoon classes are canceled until further notice." She huffed before looping an arm around her elbow and began dragging her down the now semi-crowded hallway.

"Huh? Why?"

"Ms. Collins finally went crazy in front of her class of seniors," she replied solemnly, only glancing at her from the corner of her eye. "Something about '_finally being able to run free with the squirrels'_ When Kristin turned to face her, her stoic mask cracked with a stifled giggle then increased in volume until she was roaring with laughter. Students glanced at her curiously, wondering if she'd gone mad herself.

"Kris…_stop_," Though Camille found it, extremely difficult to quiet her friend as laughter suddenly erupted from her own chest, joining hers shortly. "Its-its not funny! The lady wasn't well and-and okay, maybe it's a little fun-ny!"

"We're definitely going to Hell for this," Kristin paused to wipe the tears that were streaming from her eyes then burst into another fit of giggles. "Oh my goodness!"

Camille broke away from her roommate doubling over to catch her breath. Her mobile gave another low thrum with the unchecked message. She felt a little flame suddenly burst into her being, in her heart when her shaking hand lifted her Blackberry close to her face.

**FROM MOOSE:**

_Head to my dorm. We need to talk._

"So what do you wanna do on our free afternoon?" Kristin wound her arm around her shoulders, sounding breathless after her episode.

Gripping her phone tightly in her palm, she answered quickly, "Uh…I have to meet Moose at his dorm. So, text me, okay?"

"But I haven't even decided-"But Camille had already slipped from her grasp and darted down the hallway. "-where…_well bye Kristin, I hope you have a lovely afternoon._ Why thank you, Camille. Same to you."

* * *

The long corridor beyond her English class was empty and hushed as students finally settled into their designated classes for the next three hours. Within five minutes, Camille stood beside Moose's door in a nervous strait, palms extremely sweaty and her heart crowded in her throat. She tried to decipher any kind of hidden message within his simple text. There wasn't a smiley face, winking face or even a _lol_ at the end, which set her nerves on edge. Maybe he was faking seriousness because he didn't want her finding out about the surprise party for her birthday that wasn't for another _three months_.

Or maybe she was slowly going insane like Ms. Collins.

Camille drew in a deep breath through her mouth then released it through her nose, an act of composing herself before she raised her knuckles to rap against the wood. Her heart gave a startled jolt when the door opened before her fist could make contact.

Bright hazel eyes regarded her nervous form curiously from behind his thick-framed glasses. He looked of Native ancestry but slightly mixed with something else that eluded her at the moment. His features were soft, almost feminine with long dark hair that was pulled back into a ponytail at his nape. Was this the rat-looking roommate Moose talked so highly about? She hadn't seen him before but he didn't look remotely close to a diseased rodent. More like an Abercrombie and Finch model, she mused.

It dawned on her then that Moose was probably humoring her when she told him about her freakish roommate. But it had turned out the DA had mixed her and another Camille two days later. Camille _Froderman_ was her name. And she could have sworn she saw tears spring into the girl's eyes when she told her about her new companion she would be living with for the remainder of the school year.

_The poor girl…_Camille sympathized inwardly with a mental sigh.

"Um, do I have something on my face?"

She blinked up at him and her cheeks heated with a startling realization that she had been staring at him. But he wasn't daunted by her inspection of him; in fact, it fueled his ego a bit. "Oh, wow, I'm _so_ sorry," she said with a bashful laugh, praying that he wasn't weirded out by her now.

"Oh, no worries. Are you Moose's girlfriend?" He gave her a tiny smile of reassurance to ease her nerves. Moose was right she was extremely adorable.

"Yeah, and you're…Alvin, right?"

"Yep. Its nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise."

"Alvin, you better not be mackin' on my girl!" Her boyfriend's voice screeched beyond the doorway. She couldn't fight the grin that found its way across her face and made her look all the more charming. Moose swiftly popped up behind the somewhat taller boy, dark curls hidden beneath a black bomber trooper hat. "I thought you were going to the library, bookworm. Not tryna seduce my woman."

Alvin casted Moose an exasperated look over his shoulder accompanied by an eye roll. "I was introducing myself, psycho. Its called being _polite._"

The lanky teen's eyebrows knitted together and his brown eyes narrowed, glowing ominously. "Exactly. _Introduction leads to seduction and seduction leads to f-_"

"_Moose_!" Camille yelped, feeling the sudden urge to cover her face with her hands.

"-_reaking in the sheets_."

Alvin groaned while the brunette visibly relaxed but her cheeks were still aflame. "Dude, you need serious help. I'm out." He gave Camille another small smile and a soft good luck before stalking past her and disappearing down the hallway.

Moose's fingers toyed with the ties of his red-flannel pajama pants as a small silence enveloped them. How on earth was he going to start this conversation? He dreaded this for hours, rehearsing a few lines before falling into a fitful slumber. Now…he couldn't even remember any of them. Her presence alone set his mind reeling.

She cleared her throat, peering at him through her long lashes. "Can I come in now?"

"You're the one standing there looking all cute." His smile was unreadable. She flushed and chewed briefly on her lower lip before shuffling into the room. His bed was an unmade mess, his comforter haphazardly halfway onto the floor while his laptop resided at the foot of the bed, _Tupac_ rumbling through the speakers. Besides that, his side of the room was in pretty good shape but compared to Alvin it was put to shame.

Not a thing out of place.

"So, I heard Ms. Collins finally lost it," Moose said, hopping back into bed and she took a seat in the desk chair. "Who knew she was a squirrel person?" His eyes glittered behind his dark lashes as he studied her slightly colored face. "Can you even keep squirrels as pets? I mean, is it even legal?"

Camille's features softened at his innocent but sometimes naïve nature. He reminded her of a young child curious about the true meaning of life. It was admirable yet almost frightening because just about anyone could take advantage of him this way. However, she would never allow such a thing to happen. She reached over to gently stroke his cheek. "I dunno, Moose," Retracting her hand, her expression was very intent. "You said we needed to talk so…"

"Oh…_that_…" Moose shifted nervously.

"Well?" she looked over at him expectedly.

He perked up, taking a few calming breaths before speaking again. "Okay, okay. I've been…feeling a little…off about us lately…"

"_Off?_" she whispered, stunned. Camille was taken aback. He hadn't given any indication that he was having second thoughts about their relationship. Did she do something to make him feel this way? Had she come on a little too strong?

"Yeah…and I was talking to Alvin and his cousin, Agnes-she prefers _Iggy_ by the way-and she pointed out something…_important_," Moose paused to turn off his music, finding it rather distracting.

Rage swept through her, back straightening. "So wait," she said in a rasping tone. "you talked to them before talking to _me_?"

"Cam, I needed advice. I was so confused about...well _everything_."

"Okay so what did you exactly say to them?" she intoned, swallowing the bile that rose in her throat. Her pulse leapt wildly and a series of emotions churned violently within her. If he were ending things with her, why was he dragging this out longer than necessary? Couldn't he just get it over with and save them both the time and energy?

He hesitated and the decided to explain after taking in her rigid form. "Here's the thing. Camille, you know I care about you so, so much and I would do anything for you. At first, I…asked you to be my girlfriend because I felt like I…_owed _you. I knew you had feelings for me since high school but I didn't want to jeopardize the awesome friendship we shared. Then Sophie came along and I knew it how much it hurt you when we started dating. I thought if _we_ dated and something went wrong, I would somehow lose you forever. I'm sorry…"

Camille responded almost as if she had been thrown from a horse or kicked in the stomach. She couldn't breathe for an instant. "You-you _knew_? All this time _you knew_?" she demanded harshly. The brunette surged out of the chair so fast it almost toppled over. "The kiss at the train station, the diner, the park…I'm nothing but an _obligation_? You protected me by hurting me? Making me feel insecure and like I wasn't good enough for you?"

Moose shot up quickly to take a hold of her trembling shoulders. He saw the tears glistening in her eyes and went completely still. Her lips quivered as she tried to smile. His heart thrummed painfully in his chest as he felt his own eyes burn with an onslaught of tears. "No, please don't say it like that. I'm sorry Camille, I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean for any of that to happen to you. Please understand how much you mean to me. _Please_. All those things I did, I totally meant it!"

"Do you love me, Moose?" Her voice was almost hushed, soft and light but bore down on his soul with a crushing weight.

"Of course I do!"

"Say it."

"_I love you, _Camille."

She stared up at him, her brown eyes continuing to burn with tears she would never let him see. "Are you _in_ _love_ with me?"

Moose paled. He stared down at her, his eyes huge with dismay. "Chameleon, I…" She had her answer and it took all her power not to scream at the top of her lungs. Silently, she gently pried his hands from her shoulders before gathering her stuff. "Camille, please don't do this," he watched her retreating form helplessly for only a moment before he acted quickly as her hand touched the door knob. Moose crushed the smaller girl desperately against him, afraid that this might be the last time he would call her his. "I love you, I love you,_ I love you..._"

Camille allowed her lashed to flutter shut, pressing her back more firmly against his chest which rumbled with every _I love you_ he whispered against her ear, her hair, her cheek. "I love you too, Moose. But I have to go…" Again, she reluctantly detangled herself from him, even though she could never grow tired of hearing those words. She needed to think long and hard about a lot of things because her mind was a garbled mess. "I'll call you when I'm ready." With one last watery smile, she was gone.

His father once told him when he was a little boy that things had to get worse in order for it to get better. However, he failed to mention how much it could possibly _hurt_ during that time period.

* * *

**This chapter made me a little sad because this was based on an actually situation I had with my own boyfriend at the time. But it ended a little messier than Moose and Camille. Ha…don't worry; this guy is my best friend now. So a lot of Coose's (hehe) arguments, discussions are based on my own personal experience, you know, to make it more authentic. Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter and another one will be up before Christmas! Well...depending on how much reviews I get. =) **


	8. Spiral

**A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed your Christmas Holidays, I sure did! I got the Step Up 3D movie on DVD and I have been watching it religiously (no offense to my home dawg, Jesus =]) I know I was suppose to have a chapter up before Christmas but I was kidnapped to my Aunt's house for the weekend, then I was writing the next chapter after this one first before updating. But THANK YOU so much for the reviews, it really helped me get out of my funk. =)**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

* * *

Thunder rumbled and lightning split the sky open then, and for a heartbeat, it was bright and clear as day.

"Amara, really?"

Anala's bright eyes shifted from the darkened window that revealed the raging storm ahead to the ebony dancer sitting across from her at the kitchen table. She was hovering over a large plate gorged with last night's leftovers. She froze midway of shoving a whole dinner roll into her mouth, reminiscent of a child caught stealing from the cookie jar before dinner. Amara sat like this for a moment longer, calculating any possible way of doing this without being reprehended in the end. But seeing the outcome was near impossible and judging by the look Anala was giving her, she lowered the uneaten roll back onto the side of her plate with a slight pout.

Her body was just craving a decent meal. The food at the hospital tasted god-awful, almost like paste. Her orange juice was watered down and the toasted cream-cheese bagel…well, she'd been convinced it wasn't cream-cheese spread they used. Jason took one look at his own portion and suddenly claimed he was fasting.

Coincidentally, the graffiti guru ambled through the kitchen threshold in the midst of pulling on a fresh t-shirt having just gotten out of the shower. His dark eyes immediately rested on his…_female counterpart_, taking in her profile. The flannel button-up she wore seemed engulf her form, as it was two sizes too big. Her soft, springy hair stood out around her face like a dark cloud. She looked so sweet and vulnerable. Their eyes met gently, a hint of a smile playing around her soft mouth. He felt something deep inside him stir and he welcomed the sensation while he graced both girls with his own smile.

"How's the patient?" Jason asked as he settled in beside Anala then grabbed an apple from the bowl at the center of the table. He took a small bite.

Amara took advantage of the situation when Anala turned to address the newcomer. She quickly snatched the dinner roll from her plate, shoving the entire thing into her mouth, devouring it whole and then moaned appreciatively. The pair eyed her incredulously, Jason wrinkling his nose and Anala looking at her pointedly.

"Apparently pretending she was raised in a barn..." The redhead replied in exasperation. This girl could be such a handful sometimes. Jason snorted quietly then took another bite of his apple.

"Leave me alone, I'm hungry…" Amara whined then proceeded to shovel a fork full of macaroni pie into her mouth. "The hospital food tasted like straight _ass_," she mumbled through the mouthful of semi-chewed food before swallowing.

"How do you know what _ass_ taste like, Blue?" Jason raised his head a little to look over at her with bemused eyes. Beside him, Anala suddenly hooted with laughter while slapping the table lightly.

Cobalt-blue eyes narrowed at him slightly as her cheeks puffed out resembling a chipmunk. She then pointed her fork at him threateningly, "Don't get cheeky, bub or we'll have a round two of the supermarket."

"Promise?"

"I don't like you."

"_Riiight_, I believe you…"

Pounding at the elevator shaftway resonated round the Vault and Anala jumped at the available opportunity to get away from the squabbling pair. "Don't worry, I got it," she said, though she doubted the couple were even listening as they continued to heckle one another. _Ugh, relationships._

Rain battered rhythmically against the rooftop overhead, drowning out the silence that blanketed the warehouse. Well misusing the pounding that continued at the entrance. Her fuzzy slipper-clad feet carrier her past the main-room that acted as a playground for the Pirates, which she enjoyed from time to time. From the glass window, a glare lit up the sky, heavy clouds were split by a flash of lightning that visibly shook Anala to the core as thunder roared a few moments after, Reaching the elevator shaftway quickly, she lifted the metal latch and pulled open the double iron doors, her heart abruptly stilled in her chest.

" _C-Camille_?"

* * *

_I'll call you when I'm ready…_

Couldn't she just be ready now?

Moose found himself at the corner diner, occupying the small close to a window where he could watch the dark November sky. The rain had abated somewhat, lightly pattering against the glass. He wasn't stupid. He knew either Camille was avoiding his calls or shut off her phone, still she'd given him specific instructions that she would contact him first. After the eleventh phone call going straight to voicemail, Moose finally gave up and journeyed outside for fresh air. However, a few minutes later he began pacing. Pacing until his feet unexpectedly rocketed forward, running non-stop until he ended up here.

Man, did he screw this up _big_ time.

Moose slumped back in the booth, moodily picking at the cherry pie he ordered only moments ago. He wasn't even that hungry. But suddenly feeling restless and not having anything to distract him, he needed at least something to make him feel at ease. Why couldn't she see that he did what he did in order to protect their friendship? Hurting her that badly was never his intent. He just couldn't bear the look she had on her face today when he would confess back then that his feelings weren't reciprocal.

Confusion rippled through him, causing his dark brows to furrow and lips to press into a thin line. He couldn't begin to fathom what she might be feeling at this moment. Pain, sadness, maybe…betrayal? That word was ugly to him, leaving a bad taste in his mouth. How could Camille ever think he would do that to her? Okay…maybe he did before, but that was _completely_ different.

Right?

He cursed himself a hundred times for being so idiotic and selfish, something that might very well end their still flourishing relationship. The NYU student absentmindedly drummed his fork against his plate, pieces of his uneaten cherry pie arranged in a colorful mess while he glanced out the window. "_Rain, rain go away, Moose wants to see his Chameleon again..."_ For the millionth time since he entered the diner, he felt the absence of Camille vividly, a sharp sting piercing his heart before noisily releasing air through his nose.

"Pie ain't that good, huh?"

Startled, Moose jumped dropping his fork with a loud clatter that seemed to echo throughout the diner. He winced then swung around quickly to face the girl with a bright, curious smile, whom he judged was a little older than him. When he didn't reply, the girl spoke again. "Mind if I sit here?" However, she didn't wait for a response as she slid into the bench across from him. "You dance with The House of Pirates, right?"

The bright yellow sweater she wore was somewhat distracting and Moose almost didn't hear her. "How did you know? You stalking me or something?" He never intended to sound so rude but her question caught him off guard.

She didn't seem to notice. Instead, the girl laughed unabashed. "Not quite. The World Jam Finals was broadcasted worldwide. Saw your guys' performance and thought it was absolutely _amazing_."

His ego couldn't help but soar. His features relaxed, and his lips curved into a grin. "Thanks. The whole thing was off the hook."

Her dark eyes gleamed with laughter. "Looks like it," she lowered her hood, revealing her choppy and fiery-red hair. It reminded Moose of flames and he thought he could almost hear it crackling with vitality. An unusual hair color for her sharp, oriental features, but who was he to judge? To much of his surprise, he found himself imaging Camille with red hair…_sexy_. "I'm Sunni Park."

"Robert Alexander III, but you can call me Moose."

"Very fitting."

"Thanks?"

She laughed at his confusion. "Not in a mean kind of way…you're cute, really."

"…heh…"

Sunni toyed with the silver ring on her thumb. "Your crew participating in the telethon hosted by MTV?"

His head snapped up. "A telethon hosted by MTV?"

"Yeah," Sunni replied easily. "It's starting in a couple of weeks, on Christmas eve. I hear they're inviting some crews from the World Jam to perform and some major celebs too. I'm guessing you're not the leader of The Pirates, so maybe whosoever in charge has more information about it."

Moose's curiosity prompted him to ask, "How do you know all this and why are you telling me?"

"A friend told me. He's been looking for you by the way." Sunni replied plainly with a shrug then glanced over her shoulder as someone was approaching their booth. From the corner of her eye, she witnessed the curly-haired boy visibly stiffen as the newcomer veered in beside her.

Julien in all his arrogant glory regarded him with cool aqua eyes. He smiled knowingly. "Hello, Robert Alexander."

"Moose," The dancer corrected devoid of any emotion, managing to mask his surprise with an impassive expression.

"Oh, that's right. My mistake," Julien replied silkily, his blond hair shimmering underneath the fluorescent lighting. "So, has Sunni told you about the telethon?" Moose chose a non-verbal answer by nodding. The blond couldn't contain his amusement at the younger boy's behavior. "And will The Pirates be gracing their presence on national television once again?"

"His leader hasn't told him yet." Sunni answered for him cheerfully.

"Thanks. But am capable of speaking for myself, you know," Moose replied curtly. His impression of the girl changed dramatically since Julien's appearance, deeming her foe instead of friend. "What do you want?" he addressed The House of Samurai leader.

His aqua eyes seemed to glow with mirth when he laughed heartily. "Straight to the point, I like that. Anyway, it seems The House of Samurai weren't invited to this charitable event…which hurts me deeply,"

"Well, sorry to hear that but what does it have to do with us?"

Stacking his arms on the table, Julien leaned forward, expression unreadable. "I-"

"_We_," Sunni interrupted quickly, whirling round with a frown. _Selfish, arrogant, jerk_.

"Sorry, _we_ want to join your crew for the performance."

Moose looked stunned. There was a moment of shocked silence at the booth. He was speechless, unable to form a sentence. Julien wanted to rejoin The Pirates? After all the bullshit, he put them through? Was he _insane_? His mouth was suddenly dry. "What's the catch? Why come to me out of all people?"

"Because," The blond drawled, appearing bored. "I know that the hundred grand will run out sooner than you think and I mean, with Luke running off to California with my baby sister, it must be a struggle keeping up with the payments." Moose was silent and Julien leaned forward again. "Let us join and I will give you a large sum of money to hold you all over for a very long time. People change, don't they? I know I'm not the same guy I was months ago."

"That's for sure," Sunni murmured, leaning against Julien with a wistful sigh. Her eyes took on an air of excitement when she added, "I've always wanted to dance Hip-Hop, and I'm mostly a Contemporary dancer but I know with a little guidance from you guys, I can be a great dancer. So, whaddya say?"

Moose was shocked into speechlessness again, an event which appeared to give Julien great satisfaction.

* * *

The storm raging outside beyond the small room seemed to mirror the conflicting emotions she felt within herself. Her bottom lip quivered and Camille felt a pressure behind her eyes. Fear and desperation fueled her to come to The Vault. Seeking some type of reassurance that she wasn't in the wrong for walking out and had every right to be angry with Moose.

Fingers plucked at her damp, brown locks, smoothing it back from her face. The wind from the rainstorm had snapped her umbrella in half, rending the thing useless and left Camille no choice but to sprint all the way here. Her clothes felt extremely heavy on her body, as they were completely soaked from the rain. Her bottom lip quivered again, letting a single tear drip down her cheek. She bashfully wiped it away just in time to see Anala enter the room swiftly, her arms laden with a towel and a pair of dry clothes.

She looked at the younger girl sadly and spoke carefully. "Girl, are you crazy? Have you seen how bad it is outside? Something could've happened to you," Confronted with silence and downcast eyes, Anala offered Camille the bundle with a sigh. "Here, change out of those wet clothes. We don't want you getting sick or something."

The brunette accepted the proffered bundle, murmuring a soft _thank you_ before heading into the bathroom across the hall like the redhead instructed. She didn't even attempt to stifle her surprised gasp when she entered. The way Luke's parents built the bathroom was six sinks were centrally located, one in front of the other with three oversized showers with semi-opaque glass doors off to the side. _Better than the ones at the dorm,_ Camille thought grudgingly.

The clothes smelled of jasmine, light and delicately fragrant. She sniffed deeply, almost instantaneously calming her. Moose had been the one who introduced her to the fragrance, surprising her one day with a small bouquet of jasmines. It was so incredibly sweet of him and sent her heart fluttering. But as of now, was he truly being sincere? Camille's gaze flew to one of the mirrors she didn't recognize herself. Her familiar features stared back at her, sure enough; and yet there was a disorientating sense of unfamiliarity. Was she in the wrong? Was this all her fault?

Camille closed her eyes and willed the tears to retreat. She refused to cry, not again. Pushing everything aside, she peeled off her wet clothes and quickly tugged on the t-shirt and sweats that was given to her. There was a soft murmur of voices when she finally emerged, the towel wrapped firmly around her head and carrying her wet clothes in her arms. Jason and Amara must have entered the room while she was gone, both talking softly with Anala who was perched at the edge of her bed.

Their conversation ended abruptly, all eyes landing on her. Camille shifted uncomfortable under their intense gazes. "Um, thanks again. I-I didn't know where to put my clothes…"

"Just toss them into the hamper. I'll take care of it," Anala replied with a tiny smiled then watched as the younger girl obeyed. The teenager then scuffled her bare feet against the carpet, still the tickling sensation didn't soothe the dull ache that thrummed through her body. "Sweetie, come here…" she patted the space next to her. Camille stared at the spot for a moment, her brown eyes conflicting before she silently made her way to her then sat down.

The redhead quickly pivoted toward her other two companions and murmured, "Would you guys mind leaving me and Cam alone for a bit?" Amara had nodded but Jason stood with his shoulders erect, wanting to protest. Her blue eyes pierced him sharply before yanking on his arm and dragging him out of the room while he complained. Anala looked after the departing couple, and then appealed to Camille for an explanation for her arrival. "What happened, Cam?"

An upwelling sadness caught totally by surprise when she felt the older girl gently take one of her fidgeting hands in hers. When the pain came back, it consumed her the way a fire consumed everything in its path. There was no part of her mind or body free of it. "I-I don't know what I did to make Moose's feelings for me change…" Tears tracked down her flushed cheeks and she swiped at them angrily but only caused more to fall. "He says he loves me, but he's not _in love_ with me. And he didn't even talk to me about it first. He went and told his other friends before talking to me and here I am thinking everything's all fine and dandy. I'm so stupid!"

"_Mama_," Anala began, squeezing the brunette's hand gently. She had to brace this girl for the blow somehow, which made her feel terrible. "You can't…_force _someone to love you; it just doesn't work that way. Feelings need time to develop and grow, no matter how long you've known the person for."

Camille sniffed pathetically, and gave her a brief, curious glance. "Has this happened to you before?"

The older girl's eyes trailed over to the window and a sharp twinge abruptly rippled through her being. "Unfortunately," After another heartbeat, their eyes met again, and her intense gaze pinned her in place. She knew she must've struck a nerve as Anala's eyes were brimming with a cacophony of emotions she failed to suppress. "Once upon a time Camille…I was dating Julien…"

"Julien? From the _House of Samurai_, _Julien_?"

The redhead's cheeks warmed, peering down at her lap diffidently. "Yeah, that's the one," Her head snapped up quickly, eyes shining almost pleadingly. "He wasn't always this-this monster. He was really sweet and fun to be around. We had a blast together. But…when his…gambling problem hit, everything spun out of control…"

Camille's smooth forehead creased in thought, allowing Anala's revelation to sink in. How she managed to date that…_traitor_ was beyond her. Yes, she'd only witnessed the deceitful side of him and had no idea how he was in the past but the thought of them together was unsettling. "What happened?"

Releasing her hand, she then wrapped her arms around herself feeling she were about to fall apart. "Luke kicked him out when he threw a battle for a stupid bet. The house was devastated and…Julien formed the House of Samurai out of anger and pure jealousy. He wanted me to leave The Pirates to join him. Sadly…I almost did because I loved him that much," she squeezed herself tighter. "But I couldn't do that to Luke, not after everything he did for me and Julien didn't like that. But you know what? No one's gonna make me choose between my family and he needed to understand that."

Camille's heart went out to her. It was apparent Anala still harbored feelings for him and never truly gotten over his betrayal. Moreover, her issues with Moose seem petty compared to something such as this. Yet she still found it difficult to forgive and forget, their conversation replaying in her mind like a broken record. "You still love him, don't you?" she paused to wipe the moisture from her eyes with her fingertips.

"Yeah…" The edge in the redhead's tone melted until it liquefied to utter despair. "Julien was my first everything…and I couldn't even help him when he had a problem…I feel like _I_ was the one who failed him." Anala uncurled to reach over and grip the smaller girl's shoulders firmly. "But you gotta understand, Cam. What you guys are going through is normal. No relationship is one hundred percent perfect. You need problems in order to learn and grow as a couple. _You_ still have a chance and I'd suggest you take it before it's gone."

A conversation like this was a rarity for Camille since Anala and she mostly exchanged pleasantries rather than have a full on heart-to-heart. It made her respect the female Pirate even more, proving that she wasn't just another pretty face but full of wisdom.

However, why did she hold such resistance in her heart whenever her mind breathed his name? Could there really be another chance for them? Did she actually want it? The urge to tear her hair out in frustration gripped Camille tightly because she didn't have the damn answer.

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**I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. Emotions seem high in this one and many surprises were revealed. I will have the next chapter up next week because it gives me enough time to finish the one after that. And sorry if it's too much description…I'm a very descriptive person. Hehe. I just see things in a very artistic light. Well, thank you again for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! You really know how to make a girl smile. =)**


	9. Loud & Clear

**A/N: Hey everyone! Happy belated New Year? Lol. I know I was suppose to have this chapter up two weeks ago but my family and I are in the process of moving at the end of the month, so I've been busy packing all my stuff. Then a chain reactions of events happened, had to take my tomcat to the vet, my sister got sick and since I'm not in school at the moment I had to take care of her, my computer broke and we had to get it fixed. Just bad luck for the past two weeks. Lol. Now I have some free time on my hands, finally! Thank you all for the lovely reviews, alerts and favorites, you guys are amazing! And a special shout out to niamh89 for spamming the hell out of me. ;)**

**Important note: in my story there is a canon character named B. I've re-watched Step Up 3D and noticed in the battle between The House of Pirates and The House of Samurai, she's no longer with the Pirates, she left with Carlos, Bend, etc when the bank put The Vault for public auction. Sorry I notice minor details whenever I watch movies or TV shows that I'm writing for, in order to make my story as accurate to the movie or show as possible. So I've gone back through the chapters and used the name Mya instead. An original character. Less confusion. So I apologize in advance. =)**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

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**TO CAMILLE:**

_I know you must hate me right now, but I just need to know if your okay. I don't know how many times I've apologized, but willing to do it a billion times just to hear your voice. I'm sorry, Camille. I really am._

_I love you, honey._

_Please, please, please text or call me back!_

_Xoxo._

His finger lingered over the send button. He couldn't recall how any of his text messages seemed to end like that.

Okay…maybe he lied, it was _seventeen_ to be exact.

Squinting indifferently, he thumbed the little green button, slightly harder than he intended. All he wanted was for her to message him back so everything could go back to normal. He craved to see her face, hold her in his arms so tight that she turned blue from lack of oxygen. He wanted her with him right this second.

Moose frowned as his eyes darted anxiously around the room and fidgeted uncomfortably. He sensed an odd undercurrent of curiosity and apprehension in the House of Pirates' kitchen when he arrived at the hastily called special meeting. No doubt about the telethon. Would Jacob be pissed when he found out about his conversation with Julien? Not as if he'd known the Samurai leader would come waltzing into the diner as if he owned the place.

He suddenly felt sick.

The kitchen buzzed along with slow, sad notes from the piano situated a few meters away from the dining table. Amara's fingers skillfully glided over the keys, eyes closed and brow wrinkled in sheer concentration. Recognition crossed Moose's face as he identified the song: _Beauty From Pain by Superchick_. Camille listened to that song on a loop sometime last week, drilling the depressing lyrics into his subconscious. He'd almost began mentally singing along if it wasn't for the Nerf ball that whizzed by him and smacked Amara right in the back of her head.

The NYU student winced as the impact jarred her and caused the ex-mute to hit a sour note then stopped abruptly. A hush immediately swept through the kitchen, all eyes trained on her taut form. Either waiting for her to explode or throw something extremely valuable.

Jacob should _really_ come in and start this thing.

But after a long moment, nothing happened instead new notes sounded and everyone seemed to visibly relax. Still, Amara's vibe felt indescribably wrong this morning and the Pirates couldn't shake off the blackness in her aura.

However, all thoughts were pushed aside when Jacob finally entered the kitchen. He appeared strangely excited, as if he harbored a secret of some sort. Though Moose already knew what the special news could be. Suddenly, he looked around the room, and nervous butterflies fluttered around wildly in his stomach. What would be the Pirates' reaction? Would they disown him and kick him out of the crew?

His skin crawled uneasily.

"All right, everyone settle down," Jacob began and the kitchen instantly stilled, albeit Amara transitioned into _Our Farewell by Within Temptations_. The Pirates' leader threw her a brief, sympathetic look that everyone-excluding Moose-understood. "Blue…" His tone was remorseful, dark eyes observed her sluggish movements as her fingers slipped away from the piano keys. Jacob sighed and diverted his attention back to the dancers. "It gives to me great pleasure to inform you all that we've been invited by MTV to perform at the _Shine A Light_ telethon. They're helping to raise money for kids who have Autism."

Moose started bouncing his leg, and the butterflies' fluttering increased ten fold.

"So when's this all going down?" Legz asked.

"The show is on Christmas eve, giving us a month to prepare, work on a routine and so on and so forth." The Ugandan replied easily with a slight bob of his head. The soundless atmosphere erupted with excited, indistinct chattering.

"This is gonna be off the chain!"

"I can't wait for this!"

"Those kids' Christmas is gonna rock this year!"

_It was now or never_, Moose thought regretfully before an arm floated into the air. "Uhh…Jacob?"

The said person swiveled in his direction, amusement shimmering in his gaze and painstakingly assessive. Moose found himself imagining the fury that would be burning in his eyes when he told him. Shaking his head to rid himself of the thought, the younger boy exhaled, "Well, yesterday I was at the corner diner, just minding my own business-ordered the cherry pie by the way, not enough cherry and too much pie if you ask me," he gave Anala a minute glance. "You should take note of that, less unhappy customers for you and Amara."

The redhead arched a fiery eyebrow, and smart-aleck smirk tilting one corner of her lips. "Sure thing, hun. I'll keep that in mind."

"That's all I ask."

"Moose," Jacob eyed him impatiently and then the boy blinked before his face heated with sudden embarrassment.

"Oh yeah, sorry. Where was I? Oh, right, then this fiery-haired Korean girl comes in and sits down…at _my_ booth…can you _believe_ that? Didn't even give the girl permission, I might add. Her name was Sunni…Chin? No-_Park_! Sunni Park-"

Some of the Pirates stiffened but Jason chocked on a huge gulp of his orange juice, sending him into a coughing fit. Alongside of him, alarmed, Vladd began knocking his back to clear his airway.

Moose cocked a dark brow. "You okay there, buddy?" he question warily.

The graffiti guru nodded. "I'm _good_," he croaked then waved off Vladd's helping hand seeing as it was only making it more difficult for him to breathe. His mind was racing, each thought revolving around the fact that _she_ had resurfaced. But why was she talking to Moose? What did she want from him? Moreover, how would Amara react to all of this? Damn, he was getting a migraine.

"O..k…" Moose studied him in silence for a terse moment as he contemplated what had just happened. There was no denying the Pirates were hiding something drastic and by the way they had him practically drowning in their waves of anxiety, confirmed his suspicious right. "Anyway, so yeah-she comes in and starts talking about the MTV telethon and I'm sitting there wondering _why is she telling me all this_? Then Julien walks in-"

"_Julien_?" The Ticks exclaimed at once, voicing what everyone else was thinking. Shonnie narrowed his eyes over at Jason who finally recovered from his incident. "Did you even tell Moose Julien was looking for him?"

The graffiti guru turned pink and Moose gazed at him with incredulous eyes. The ebony dancer fidgeted under the scrutiny of Pirates' stares. "Well _no_-but my focus was on Blue that night at the hospital and I forgot. Yo, I'm sorry."

Jacob heaved a small sigh and shook his head. "It's all right, Jason. No one's blaming you. We were all concerned about Amara but thank God she made it out all right," The girl's hand twitched in response but said nothing. "Moose, continue,"

"Right. So, Julien walks in…and he gives me this…_proposition_…" Moose voice trailed off, anxiety roared through his body almost making it difficult to concentrate. He swallowed three times, fighting to keep himself calm.

Anala clenched her glass of fruit punch tightly in her hand and unbeknownst to her, small cracks began to form. "What kind of proposition?"

The young dancer swallowed again. "He-he and Sunni Park wants to perform with us at the telethon because the House of Samurai weren't invited. He's willing to pay big money to help us with the Vault."

The glass in Anala's hand finally shattered, dousing herself with the fruity red liquid and sending the crystal-like shards of glass all over the table and onto her lap. Jacob cursed. So did several other members who witnessed the scene. Moose sat watching helplessly, his expression full of horror and confusion. He didn't move.

But the others did, rushing to her aid as her body went taut with dread, teeth clenched and eyes screwed shut.

Mya gently took a hold of the redhead's elbow and pulled her to her feet, the shards of glass sprinkling to the floor. Her intense eyes swung to Jacob. "What are we gonna do?" she asked, her voice betraying some new emotion he couldn't identify.

Moose clasped his hands in front of him and the Pirates rushed around the kitchen, gathering various cleaning supplies. His brows came together in a serious line across his nose. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I told Julien I couldn't decide anything until I talk to you guys first."

Jacob ran a hand over his face in exhaustion. "Don't worry about it, Moose. Mya could you please help Nala get cleaned up?"

The dark-haired girl was so unnerved by the events that she guided Anala out of the kitchen without a word. The question hung heavily in the air, the answer hidden and buried deep within the caverns of Jacob's mind. What were they going to do? Was this another one of Julien's ploy to take down the House of Pirates? Could he really be trusted after everything?

His ebony eyes found Moose's indecipherable gaze, and both shared a silent understanding.

Was it worth the risk?

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**FROM MOOSE:**

_I know you must hate me right now, but I just need to know if your okay. I don't know how many times I've apologized, but willing to do it a billion times just to hear your voice. I'm sorry, Camille. I really am._

_I love you, honey._

_Please, please, please text or call me back!_

_Xoxo._

Her heart was singing and within the confines of her desk, she felt as if she were soaring through cotton-white clouds. He made it extremely difficult to stay angry with him, this being his _seventeenth_ text message after all. But her resolve had crumbled after his _first_. Warmth coursed through Camille. It tickled her from the tips of her toes to her cheeks; painting them a vibrant red.

Maybe she did put too much pressure on Moose, too early in their relationship. It was the fact that she'd never felt so strongly about anyone before, let alone a boy. Her feelings were so overwhelming but at the same time simply electrifying, sensational, and maybe even a little chaotic. There were so many emotions she wasn't able to correlate into words, and they mostly swirled together at the pit of her stomach. Moose brought forth some incredible sensations she couldn't contain, wanting to burst from her ribcage and begging to be shared.

She loved him, wanted to be near him, and curled in his arms tightly until the world faded.

And there was the answer.

Camille ran her fingertips delicately over the screen of her phone, caressing his bolded black words. How could anyone stay mad at someone as special as Moose?

She couldn't. It was damned near _impossible_.

Leaning back in her desk chair, she stretched her arms above her head, working out the small kinks in her lower back. Afternoon classes were still canceled. The Dean ran into some complications finding Ms. Collins' replacement. Not that she was complaining or anything. It elevated the stress off her schoolwork and surprisingly managed to finish some of her major assignments. Overall, these past few days were relatively easy.

Camille smiled comfortably, feeling herself glow with a little more energy. The warmness trickled into her heart and drove the organ to pump more fiercely, a strange but thrilling tingle.

She needed to talk to him.

Switching her BlackBerry to her more familiar hand, she pressed number two on her speed dial then held the phone to her ear. Then ringing tickled her eardrum for a heartbeat, then two until conversation suddenly exploded through the earpiece.

_"__Camille? Camille! You-you called! Honey, I love you!"_

Camille winced at the extreme volume of his voice but she smiled nonetheless. "Hey, Moose,"

There was scuffling on his end and the background noise grew fainter and fainter until it dwindled into silence. He was panting now. _"Oh my God. You wouldn't believe how much I've missed you, Chameleon. I'm so sorry for what I did…"_

"No, Moose. It was my fault. I expected too much from you in such a short period of time. I mean, I thought…you had to feel as strongly as I do. Like, _automatically_ and that isn't fair to you. And I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry." Sadness gripped her abruptly, the thickening of tears tightening her throat where she had to force each syllable out. She felt guilty and Moose appeared to have sensed that when she heard him sigh into the receiver.

_"__Cam, I'm tryna apologize, so stop stealing my thunder," _ Managing a tiny giggle, she smiled and continued listening. _"Look, your right, I should've come to you first before anything. I just…didn't want to say the wrong thing and then we wouldn't be talking right now. I needed an opinion-maybe three-but that's besides the point-"_

"Wait, who's the third person?" _She wouldn't get mad, she wouldn't get mad._

_"__Jason-but! He was totally on your side, which goes against the guy code, that traitor!"_

And she didn't, instead her smile stretched into a wide spread grin. Camille knew she liked that guy for a reason. "Moose, its okay because…I went to the Vault after I left your dorm room and I _kinda_, _maybe_, _sort of_, talked to Anala…"

_"__You-WHAT?"_ Camille held the phone away from her ear slightly, her eardrum ringing from his outburst. There was no way he could be mad at her for seeking reassurance from the redhead. If anything, she would just accuse Moose of a double standard just to shut him up if needed. But that seemed to change when his voice took on an overwrought tone. She continued to distance her mobile from her ear. _"You went out in that freak storm? You could have been struck by freakin' lightning! Or, worse, blown away by the wind or something! 'Cause you and I both know you don't weigh all that much…"_

_Jerk._ "Hey, we just made up. Do you wanna revert to how things were?"

_"__No ma'am. Don't wanna go through that torture again."_ Camille could hear the smile in his voice and envisioned the boyish grin that accentuated his features perfectly. The warm, tingling feeling returned and banished the cold unwanted emotion to somewhere dark and distant. His positive energy was always contagious and she loved how it curled around her being, making her feel light and radiant._ "But for the record, Chameleon, I'm still super sorry and I do love you."_

Again, she could never grow tired of hearing those words from him and resisted the urge to crush her phone against her chest. "I love you too, Moose. Hopefully everything will fall into place. So, are you on campus? Maybe we can meet up and grab a bite to eat or whatever,"

He sighed which was never a good sign from him. _"Sorry, honey. I'm kinda at the Vault right now and some serious ish is going down…"_

Camille straightened at the distraught coloring his tone. "What's going on?"

Moose sighed again then shuffled around briefly. _"It's really a long story, Cam. I'm not even sure what's happening. But here's the abridged version: Julien was looking for me and found me at the diner yesterday accompanied by a girl named Sunni Park. They want to join the Pirates for a performance at MTV's Shine A Light telethon for kids with Autism around Christmas-I'll explain later. AND, he's willing to pay us…like a lot of money. Now everyone's tryna decide if we can trust him or not."_ He finished in one breath then coughed slightly.

"Whoa, that's intense…poor Anala."

_"__I know! She's like freakin' She-Hulk or something! The woman broke a glass with her hand, Cam. It was crazy… and a little scary too."_

"Oh wow…" Camille had no idea how to respond, better yet what to think. There was no point mentioning that fact that Anala was still in love with Julien after they dated some time ago. This had to be the reason for her showcase of brute strength. Moose would only freak out and question her until he found out what exactly they talked about. _Not like I would say anything to him_. She thought rebelliously. "That really sucks…"

_"__You're telling me,"_ he paused. _"But on the bright side, looks like we got plans for tonight!"_

Camille's young, lovely face flushed with excitement and her skin tingled with anticipation. "Really? And what, pray tell, do you have in mind?"

_"__The Pirates are working the club tonight and I was wondering if you would like to come and make me the happiest guy there?"_ Moose asked, almost shyly, reminiscent of the very first time he asked her to be his girlfriend. Saying no to that would be absolutely sinful, so the brunette smiled and whispered,

"Of course, you goofball. I'd like that."

_"__Yes! Thank you, Cam! I'll see you around…ten?"_

"Sure."

_"__Perfect and Camille?"_

"Hm?"

_"__Wear something nice-not that you don't always look good-just…something to take my breath away…"_

If only he could see the bashful smile playing across her face, cheeks dusted with pink and her heart drumming against her ribcage. Camille, at the moment had trouble formulating a coherent reply since all she wanted to do was squeal in delight. His word excited her beyond endurance and pierced every part of her soul. And for a while, all thoughts of reluctance and second guesses were forgotten.

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**Thank you all so much for reading this fanfic! You don't believe how inspired you've all made me with your kind words and gestures. Your all amazing and I love you to bits! **

**Oh and the **_**Shine A Light Telethon for Kids with Autism**_** is fiction. Well, at least I hope so…lol. My sister and I were trying to come up with some kind of event for the House of Pirates to be invited to and we both came up with the name and cause. Maybe one day I would like to make that a reality because I have a cousin who has Autism but he's so precious. I love him!**

**So please, share your thoughts or concerns in your review. They're much appreciated as you all are too. Thank you, for getting me out of my depression. You don't know how much it means to me to have people I haven't met in real message me and offer me support. You guys are beautiful! =) I've already written a couple of more chapters, so if everything goes according to plan, I will have the next one up sometime next week. =)**

**Love, peace and tranquility! **


	10. Don't Keep Me Waiting

**A/N: I know, I know **_**where have I been**_**, eh? Well, a course of events happened over the past few months, good and bad. Let's list them shall we: Stephen tWitch Boss wrote me on twitter, which nearly made me combust with immense joy. Birthday passed March 18****th****…now I'm 20 with gray hair. Got a new job which now I believe I'm gonna lose soon since faith freakin' despises me! Been helping my bestfriend nurse a broken heart by spending mostly all my time with her. More mental heath issues. Yada, yada, yada. I feel like a poster child…or adult for Angst. That has been my whirlwind of a life. Don't worry I've been writing chapters non-stop for this story, they're all in my notebooks.**

**However, a big THANK YOU to those who read/favorited/alerted and going the extra mile and reviewed. This is one of my first stories to hit the 100 mark and I love you guys so much for sticking by after all my long absences. You guys rock my socks! So this chapter is dedicated to all you beautiful people!**

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

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Mya huffed quietly while Stix stifled a giggle behind her hand. "Moose-sweetheart…_stop moving_!" The toil of curling her hair whilst watching the younger boy pace the length of the room through the vanity mirror proved niggling. The trepidation of permanently scarring her precious face magnified when the piece of hair slipped from the curling iron. "Shit," she muttered, leveling a fierce black look in his direction.

Moose's feet rooted themselves into the floor then glanced up to gaze at his female crewmate, "You should really be careful with that thing, it can really jack up your face. It happened to a friend of a friend of mine. She had to walk around school with a burn mark shaped like _Switzerland_ on her face."

The look Mya gave the boy was part infuriation, part antagonism, her voice objectively spitting derision, "I'm highly aware of what kind of damage this thing can do which is why I'm telling you to park it before I _make_ you."

"Oh leave him alone," Stix objected mildly, running the tips of her fingers through her wild ponytail. "He's just nervous about his date tonight. You would be too if you had a man."

Moose turned to the brunette with a look of boyish mirth as he smirked, "Damn, Stix. _Burn_."

"I'm perfectly fine by myself, _thank you very much_." Mya replied curtly, and then returned to her mundane undertaking of beautifying herself for future suitors at the club.

"Perfectly _bitter_…" Stix mumbled underneath her breath, though Moose had heard the restrained insult and began sniggering. The Latina glared at them both through the mirror, which only caused the pair to laugh more uproariously. If looks could kill, they would both be a pile of ashes within that instant.

"Get out."

"_Awww_, Mimi, don't be like that. We're only playin'…"

"_Get. Out._"

"_Myaaa_!"

After a few moments of their amusing banter, all heard the knock against the wooden doorframe. The trio glanced up curiously and Moose's breath caught in his throat.

"Hey, Moose."

Nothing he had experienced in his entire eighteen years of existing had prepared him for the magnificent sight that was Camille. The charcoal zip-up jumper dress with a plunging U-neck she wore outlined the long and slim lines of her body. His gaze roamed from her soft ringlets in her hair, down her legs that were long and muscular in the thighs, to the hot pink high tops that adorned her feet. The hot pink patent belt with double buckle closure pulled her street flair look all together and his mouth dried considerably.

To say she'd stolen his breath away would've been an understatement.

Camille _killed _and_ buried _him_ six feet under_.

Mesmerized, unable to tear his gaze away Moose realized belatedly that as closely as he was examining her, Camille was just as vigilantly observing him from the doorway. A flush crept into her cheeks and she murmured with a hint of introversion, "Um, Moose…say something-anything…"

"_Daaaamn_, girl! You look absolutely _gorgeous_!" Stix squealed, seeing as Moose stood laboriously motionless, as if his whole being was concentrated on the stunning girl before them.

"You clean up good, Chamomile." Mya soberly agreed while fluffing up her curls, finally finished with the curling iron. She then jabbed her elbow into the silent boy's ribs, jarring him from his stupor.

Moose blinked, a soft cherry-red staining his cheeks. His mouth worked but only noises came out, "You-look-_wow_-you uhh…" He could feel his blood pressure rising as he struggled with an eloquent flattering remark that wouldn't make him sound like a total idiot. However, the mission was thorny since he was immeasurably aware of the tightening in his groin and kept himself motionless to _not_ draw attention to his…_situation_. But from his peripherals, he glimpsed the tips of Stix's ears burning an angry red and her face twisting into an unspoken mortification as her eyes swiftly darted from his lower body to his face in record timing. He almost, _almost_ missed it.

_Crap…_

"Hey, Mimi, maybe we should leave these to alone," Stix suddenly suggested before taking a hold of the older girl's arm. "I say we go check on-on Anala, you know to see if she's all right!" She tugged on the limb somewhat desperately, seeking to banish the mental image of Moose's _admiration_ for Camille from her virgin mind. Something in the air shifted as the overcharge of emotions seemed to suffocate her heated person.

"All right, all right," Mya pursed her lips in aggravation and allowed herself to be hauled out of the room. The younger girl was never good in dealing with couples. Any indication of sexual tension and she immediately became flustered and jittery. A typical naïve teenager. "Maybe _you're_ the one who needs a _man_."

"_Shut up!_"

Camille's shining brown eyes narrowed faintly, not in annoyance or anything, but in a way where she was trying to decipher Moose's body language. Perhaps he didn't like the outfit. It only took her nearly two hours to put together, with the help of Kristin. Well…after excessively begging and groveling until her roommate caved. "You don't like it, do you?" When Moose still said nothing, her temper flared and she scowled. "See, I told Kristin I shouldn't wear this but, _nooo_, she said I had the_ ankles _for this dress. I mean, I didn't know you had to worry about how your _ankles_ looked-" Moose speedily eliminated the distance that separated them, silencing her mid-rant.

His thought process had long shut down, reacting solely on the magnetic force that sparked between them, and his every pore aching to be closer to her. Once he finally reached the striking brown-haired girl, her back met the wall as he pressed his entire body flush against hers. "_Don't you dare_, Camille. Don't you even _think_ about finishing that sentence," he murmured huskily in her glorious hair.

Flustered, Camille retorted, "Well, you weren't saying anything! What else was I suppose to think?" Her face pinkened, her whole body achingly sensitive to his touch. They were never this…_intimate_ before, both still young, shy and a little unsure of themselves. But Moose had grown bold over the span of forty-eight hours, bringing forth emotions she hadn't prepared for.

For his answer, he lowered his parted lips to hers for a fervent kiss. A vacillating whimper emitted from the depths of her throat as his hand flexed with tenderness around her neck, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. And then he was urging her closer to the fierce heat of his own body, deepening the kiss and taking full possession of her mouth. Camille _felt_ him, the zipper of his jeans digging into the tender flesh of her inner thigh where her dress rose slightly. The sensation was rather painful yet gooseflesh spread over her legs. Nonetheless, she didn't want it to end. They fit so perfectly, molding into one another as if this rare moment was created exclusively for them. She wanted to feel _more_ of him. Subsequently, she reached up, grabbed fistfuls of Moose's chestnut locks, and tugged with tremendous urgency. He groaned heavily in response, the sound reverberated deep in his chest then ground himself into her more forcefully.

Until Camille winced.

Moose jumped back as quick as lightning, shaken and concerned. "Shit," he heaved in a ragged breath, "Did I hurt you? Are you okay? Damn, babe I'm _sooo_ sorry!"

The brunette raised her hands in front of her and shook her head. "No, no, no, Moose. It's okay, I'm fine…your zipper just-_ahem_-nicked me that's all," Camille felt her face grow hot once more beneath the gaze that stroked her skin almost in a gentle caress. She could still feel the touch of his hands on her, the way they had felt grasping at her. She was lost.

The curly-haired dancer cringed then cursed himself inwardly. "_Oh, God_," he rushed forward again, his fingers gently prodding the welted ridge that stood out against her skin in a livid scarlet. He'd been excessively carried away in their heated embrace, his body kicking into overdrive to calm itself.

Camille made an indistinguishable noise above him before swatting his fingers away. He drew himself to his full height, bewildered while she tugged her dress back down to its respectable length. "There's no need for _that_. Believe me when I say _I'm fine_," she reiterated breathlessly, her face turning several shades of red. "We just got caught up in that..._heat of the moment_ kinda thing."

"Well, _duh_," Moose scoffed, running a hand through his mused hair. "I mean, _damn_ Chameleon. When I said: _wear something to take my breath away_, I didn't mean become a _stone-cold killer_!" His bold gaze roamed down her slender body, appreciatively. "Dude, you got a set of _legs_ on you, _God damn_! And now I'm left with this," he ushered down to his lower body which still stood erected. "You planned this…"

"_Pssh, _you wish, Annie," she suddenly smirked then twirled around him, the embarrassment that plagued her only moments ago soon forgotten. "I was only doing what was asked of me. Don't dish it out if you can't take it," she added in a sultry undertone accompanied with a wink. What was this feeling that rapidly overtook her being? Excitement? Curiosity? Perhaps, empowerment? He was finally at her mercy, shadowing her movement. She could be sexy, and it felt damn good for her and him to openly acknowledge it.

A frown cut between his darkened brown eyes before her caught her about the waist and drew her near to him. "You're right, I can't. So maybe you can go borrow one of the girls' sweatpants or something…"

Laughing unabashed, Camille pulled free, her ringlets bouncing haphazardly when she shook her head with a fruitful smile. "Not a chance, Moose. You should really be careful of what you wish for."

"Now you tell me after I get a raging _hard-on_," he huffed playfully, only causing his girlfriend to laugh harder. "But seriously, Cam, I'm positive the girls won't mind if you borrowed a t-shirt and sweatpants from any of them. Hey, I'm tryna save all the other guys from suffering my cruel and unusual punishment."

The brunette suppressed the urge to roll her eyes at him, then gently took a hold of his hand, weaving her fingers through his. "I'm sure they'll be other girls there to distract them. Maybe even wearing less clothes than I am if we're lucky."

"No _if_, Chameleon, it's a _must_! I don't wanna end up _cracking some skulls_ for wandering eyes _ogling_ at my lady!"

"Don't you worry, babe, I _only _have eyes for _you_." And for reassurance, Camille pressed a small kiss to his lips, which he wasted no time in returning covetously.

Okay...maybe to shut him up too.

* * *

Camille's body was on fire as she fought through the tide of heated bodies to the dance floor. The music, the press of the crowd, her own heightened state of self-awareness, all receded into some other dimension as her senses filled with his nearness. His scent, the pressure of those callous-tipped fingers as they held onto her wrist.

_Don't keep me waiting (oh oh)  
I want to get together tonight (oh oh ohoh)  
Leave your troubles all behind  
Because it is the weekend, baby  
Come along with me let's get crazy_

She broke away from him with a twirl, moving more to the center of the dance floor. Through the heavy veil of tumbled hair, she saw Moose watching her, the look on his face almost as hungry and possessive as when he first saw her earlier. Her heart raced with empowerment, confidence trickling into her soul and making her feel enormously intrepid.

_Party, S-H-I-T to KOBE  
Rhyme or rap you turn HOMIE  
Lookin at her like she OB, a hoe-e  
A fun excitement a little bit of MO-NIE  
A breakfast in the MORN-ING  
I'm still waiting here when I'm the only one around I can take you_

Allowing a smirk to play on her lips, Camille sashayed a little, the fact of her acting out more than she generally would became obvious when she launched into a familiar routine she'd long ago rehearsed.

_There's so many combinations of what we could do  
And this private conversation isn't meant to view  
To make it clear that all I really want to do is you  
So let's hit the floor, drink some more, time is now, make your move_

The throng of dancers on the floor sent up a cheer and leaped into action, circling the couple before anyone could blink. A throbbing excitement poured into Moose then gave himself to the music. He was deeply conscious of the phenomenal mass of clubbers surrounding them, but it felt like there was only Camille and himself. Amused and lighthearted, he countered her moves, adding his own flare and wanting to amaze her immeasurably.

_Don't keep me waiting (oh oh)  
I want to get together tonight (oh oh ohoh)  
Leave your troubles all behind  
Because it is the weekend, baby  
Come along with me let's get crazy_

"_Show off!_" The brunette shouted over the music, sounding both entertained and boastful. Moose just grinned, urged her on, reminding her that she had been the one to challenge him and he always made sure he never lost. She smiled brilliantly as she met his heated gaze then smoothly moved to the rhythm of the song, pouring more of her heart and soul into her steps.

_I'll wait for you to jump on it  
Can't think for you in the moment  
Don't throw away what we got now  
You'll end up leaving here alone  
What we about to mundlay? chicks on me  
You VIP and they aren't, yeah  
And I don't have all the answers but lady this is your party_

Moose heard the crowd cheer a few moments later and brazenly he soon joined them, embracing the pride that swelled within him at the thought of knowing everyone knew this gorgeous human being was with _him_. To think he'd almost lost her because he wasn't ready to accept the fact he was in love with this girl. Had he possibly compared her to Sophie Donovan? At any waking moment, waiting for her to realize he wasn't good enough for her and fade from his world completely. Yes, he prepared himself for heartache at anytime, sometimes finding himself counting down to the minutes. He eyed Camille for a concise moment, then his mouth curved into a faint smile as his brain finally took charge of his spinning emotions.

_All these casual invitations back and forth all night  
And the very indication down to take the ride  
As you whisper that there isn't much you wouldn't try  
So let's drink one more, hit the door, time is now_

And there it was. Her wide-splitting smile that sent his heart pounding wildly against his ribcage. Moose glided towards her. She was only a little surprised when he moved face-to-face, feeling slightly weak-kneed. Camille loved how he flowed with her, matching her every move precisely; even though she was somewhat an amateur. In the back of her mind she was afraid of knocking him over or worse..._scuff_ his Nike Dunks, but he made her feel at ease, comfortable and secure. She laughed joyously when their hits became harder, trying to outdo one another, the crowd's enthusiastic response like a warm cocoon around them.

_Don't keep me waiting (oh oh)  
I want to get together tonight (oh oh ohoh)  
Leave your troubles all behind  
Because it is the weekend, baby  
Come along with me let's get crazy_

"_Stop hitting so hard!_" Moose bellowed over the uproar and his eyes twinkled in the limelight.

_Put your hands up in the air,  
put your hands up in the air (x6)_

"_Ha!_" she laughed, spun away from him, and struck a pose as the last note of the song rang throughout the club. The circle applauded them and Moose did too as well, but more avidly.

"All right, _Beyonce_," The lanky teen made his way towards her as she straightened, blushing, and smiling eagerly. "All this battling got feelin' thirsty," he smiled suggestively and in return, she rolled her eyes, grinning.

"Me too. Bar?"

"Well I was kinda thinking-_you know_…"

Camille grabbed his hand and tugged. "Come on, you _hornball_."

They had barely begun their venture in the direction of the bar before the Santiago Twins bombarded them with admiration.

"Señorita, you look beautiful! _Please_, leave Moosey boy and run away with me."

"No, Señorita, be mine and I will cherish you with all the love in the world!"

"Hey, I'm standing right here, ya know!" Camille scrunched up her small shoulders and bubbled with laughter. She squeezed her boyfriend's hand seeing that he hadn't even cracked a smile. "You guys are sweet, but I could never leave this ray of sunshine."

"Damn straight," he mumbled them quickly landed an overprotective kiss upon her cheek. One S. Twin chuckled, throwing an arm around the lanky teen's shoulder whilst the other looked at the brunette appearing wounded. With her free hand, she patted his arm lightly with a tiny smile.

"You guys are _amazing_ together! The whole club is buzzing about you two!" The S. Twin in the bright orange bandana purred. His brother nodded, agreeing also as they all journeyed toward the bar.

"Thank you, thank you," Moose smile widely, swinging Camille's and his joined hands back and forth. "I've taught her _everything_ she knows."

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, grinning lightly, "As if, honey. _Tyler's _the one who taught me everything I know, so _blah_." She suddenly became aware of the appreciative stares that assessed her body, stripping her clean of her bravado, and she felt her face warm from the attention. She inched closer to Moose who hadn't even acknowledged her dilemma.

As they finally reached their destination, Camille felt Moose stiffen within her hold and the Santiago Twins simultaneously cursed in their native tongue. She didn't understand the fiery-haired Korean native was transparently staring at them from her place on the barstool. And judging by the boy's reaction to her, not good would come from this. Perhaps it was her luminous smile or the knowing glint shimmering in her dark, mystifying eyes that made them immediately on guard.

However, when Camille heard Moose faintly mumble, _Sunni Park_, it all seemed to make perfect sense.

* * *

**Thank you, darlings! I wrote this chapter a long time ago, but never gotten around to type it. _Sigh_, I really need to get a laptop. Life would be so much easier that way. Blah! And the song used in this chapter is _Don't Keep Me Waiting by Electrolightz_. It's a good party song, heard it on _Jersey Shore_. Well, please leave me a review and tell me what you think. Thanks again! **

**Love, peace and tranquility!**


	11. Worse Than Pulling Teeth

**A/N: Not much to say this time around. But I updated, eh, EHH?**

**All right, see you at the bottom, yeah? :)**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the Step Up franchise, nor any of the characters from it. I do, however own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

* * *

Three A.M. struck with the annoying chime of the grandfather clock that remained silent for many months, even Luke had pronounced the pendulum clock worthless. But how it chose this ill-fated moment to announce its revival was beyond comprehensible and all around uncanny.

The dynamic within the House of Pirates changed significantly long since the club ended for the night. They congregated in the living room, the air thick with tension and stifling, soon learning it was exceedingly difficult to ignore the crisp, white envelope on the coffee table. Ultimately, their efforts of containing their sentiments at this nightly assembly were thwarted by the inanimate object.

The moment Jacob reappeared with a miserable Amara staggering in tow, the entire room full of dancers had erupted into heated conversation. The ex-mute-still disoriented-groggily ambled across the room where Jason had stretched out in the worn recliner and silently climbed into his lap. The graffiti guru was well aware that he was the focus of several pairs of curious eyes and some knowing smirks but merely shrugged and allowed the somnolent girl to curl up against him. His mind was elsewhere anyway.

Moose drummed his finger on his knee negligently as he weaved in and out of the passionate controversy. He tried to make a valiant effort to contribute his thoughts and concerns, but he couldn't concentrate at this point. The Pirates were doing so well since their victory at the World Jam. The club's business was thriving, every night seemed better than the last as it was always filled to full capacity. Julien and this Sunni Park, to much of his aversion, displayed a sudden enthrallment with their _reputation _and wanted nothing more than apiece, he concluded.

Alongside of him, some sixth sense made Camille tilt her gaze towards Moose. As she suspected, he was uneasy. Then her eyes wandered about the room and could not help but notice the Pirates expressions were also very strained. How could one girl cause such an erratic stir in the atmosphere? There had to be some sort of history between them, managing to subdue this normally lively group.

Camille reached over and patted his idle hand reassuringly. The corner of his mouth turned upward but his eyes were leveled on Aja who poked at the envelope inquisitively. "Whaddya thinks' inside?" He addressed the crew in wonderment.

"_A letter bomb?_" Shonnie offered with a tilt of his head.

Everyone turned to stare at him.

"_What?_"

Jason quirked a delicate brow. "You don't get the concept _think before you speak_, huh?" He retorted, deadpanned, though fatigue underlined his tone. Amara snorted faintly and burrowed deeper into the warmness that was his body, hiding a cynical smile she was itching to aim at the younger boy. The graffiti guru's heartbeat fluttered unsteadily beneath her cheek and she sprawled out more unladylike on top of him to disregard her own hammering heart.

Shonnie yawned. "It's like three in the morning; I'm brain dead right now."

"_As opposed to_-" Amara sneered but Jacob slid her a shooting glance, and she halfheartedly bit her tongue then shut her eyes to steer clear of anymore eye-reprimanding.

Now wasn't the time for juvenile backbiting, they had a more important issues that needed to be dealt with. The Pirates' leader began to pace back and forth, rubbing his chin, and muttering to himself quietly. Apart of him wished, Luke hadn't gone to California with Natalie, feeling suddenly ashamed he could not handle the newfound responsibilities. He was always the first mate of the Pirates, nothing more or nothing less.

However, he _promised_.

He promised Luke he would have everything under control during his absence. He owed it, not only to him, but also to the Pirates as a whole. Jacob could not abandon them, not as if he would anyway. They were his foundation, his purpose, no, his _family_.

That word sounded _stronger_ to him.

"Uh, _earth to Jacob?_" One of the Santiago Twins whistled, then muttered something to his brother in their native tongue as to which he nodded mutely.

The Ugandan halted abruptly and casted them both a quizzical glance. As did the others. "What was that?"

The other twin answered instead, brows furrowed. "The girl said the envelope was from Julien. Something about _speeding up the process_."

"It's a check," Moose interjected, and all eyes were swiftly on him. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly then continued, "She said Julien sent half of the down payment…or _something like that_, I wasn't really listening…"

"_Down payment?_" Anala made a face. "What are we, a _car_?" Her eyes were bright with an emotion the crew was unable to identify. She snorted, possibly to ease the tension swallowing her or to make herself feel less threatened by the situation. At this point, it was difficult to put into prospective. "Sounds kinda sketchy, if you ask me."

"It would have been cooler if it was a letter bomb," Shonnie sighed disheartened and almost instantaneously, a cushion sailed through the air to smack him right in the face. The boy grunted, the pillow falling to his lap then swung around to glare at Jason who was deliberately looking off to the side. "It was just a thought, _jeez_! Honestly dude, Blue's rubbing off on you or something!" Amara's eyes snapped open and in reprisal, she gave the double finger salute whilst baring her pink tongue to him. The graffiti guru closed his eyes, feigning indifference towards both parties but he was smiling lightly.

"You hafta admit, that was a pretty _dumb_ thought." Moose said coolly, exchanging a subtle grin with Camille when he nudged her shoulder with his own. She giggled gently before resting her weight against him in gratification. She was pleased she was able to rid herself of the emotional confusion that overwhelmed her just days ago. Happy, all smiles and tremendously giddy. _As it should be_, she thought steadily while another soft smile touched her mouth.

Shonnie just glowered at all of them.

"So… what's gonna happen now?" Vladd asked, propping his elbows on his knees then leaned forward. The robot dancer wasn't exactly thrilled about Julien's proposal of rejoining the Pirates. He wished there was something he could do to prevent it, but wishful thinking only went so far. His pale-green gaze shifted to Jason's tranquil form. His eyes were still closed yet he was lightly teasing the tips of his fingers through Amara's wild, shadowy tresses. Unconsciously, her cerulean eyes reached his and the girl smiled, a real smile that softened the frequently hard lines of her face and made her look more endearing.

Vladd felt a bizarre stab of pain in his chest as he watched her. Was she strong enough to withstand the presence of Sunni Park? He figured Jason hadn't told her about their intimate past, maybe fearing she would want nothing more to do with him. The graffiti guru did, however, confined in him, disclosing all the gory details of their heated encounters. The possibility of either person driving Amara away for good weighed on him heavily. He sighed, defeated, and leaned back in his chair feeling drained.

"We sleep," Jacob continued evenly, "It's late, and we can figure this out in the morning-or should I say, _afternoon_."

Moose pushed to his feet, pulling Camille up alongside of him. This was all too chaotic to deal with at this ungodly hour. He was tired, sore and sleep would do him some good.

"We hafta get back to the campus," Camille whispered from his side, stretching cautiously, and wincing as she worked muscles that had been stiffened for being seated for so long.

"Damn, I forgot about that," The curly-haired boy mumbled. He turned to his crewmates whom were preparing to retire for the night. "Yo, Cam and I are just gonna head out."

"Nuh, uh." "No way!" "You gotta be kiddin' me…" The Ticks chimed in at once and shook their heads in unison.

"You guys can take the extra bed upstairs," Legz murmured drowsily as he rolled to his feet. "I mean, its too late for you guys to be on the street." The rest of the Pirates made various noises of agreement.

"All right, you guys twisted my arm," Moose relented with a chuckle. Unexpectedly, he swept down upon Camille, seized her by the waist, and lifted her high in the air. "Whaddya say, Chameleon? Sleepover? We can paint each other's nails, have sexy pillow fights or figure out of I'm an autumn or summer, or whatever!"

"_Moose!_" She braced herself against his shoulders and laughed in delight as he swung her around in a circle. The thought of them sharing a bed together brought back heated memories of their fiercely passionate kiss and she knew she was blushing. She prayed that everyone, including Moose, would attribute the heat in her face to the warmth of the room and the energetic movement. "Your making me dizzy and I'm gonna throw-up on you if ya don't stop!"

He set her back on her feet, grinning wildly when she swayed for a brief instant bit righted herself. "I'm sorry, honey. I'm just _sooo_ excited to sleep with you!"

The room quieted and some of the Pirates and Camille casted him an uneasy glance, but others sent him sly smiles and gestures. Moose caught the meaning of their gazes then sputtered, "Ugh! Get you're minds outta the gutter! Y'all know I didn't mean it like that, jeez! We're going to _sleep-sleep_, ya nasties. Goodnight."

* * *

"_Jacob, you can't be friggen serious!_" Mya's abhorrent cry filled the speaker-room. Fiery sparks reflected in her emerald-green eyes as the color was heightened in her face caused by her vehemence.

The Pirates around her made an intrepid attempt to continue the debate of Jacob's outrageous notion of allowing Julien and Sunni to join their house for the upcoming event. However, it was palpable no one could follow-through, all far too curious to see where her outburst was heading.

Jacob's expression was stoic. "I know you may not agree with my decision, considering what Julien has done to us in the past. But ask yourselves…_what more can he do to the Pirates?_"

"He's basically paying us, guys," Moose restated ascetically. Then comprehension struck him with a force that rocked his nerves. He frowned, "I mean, if Julien wanted to try something he wouldn't be so discreet about it. We all know he likes to go out with a _bang_."

"_Sooo_…because someone waves a pretty little check in our faces, we bitch out, and welcome back the guy who's been tryna take us down for years with open arms? Are you _fucking_ kidding me?" The Latina shot back then shook her head in repugnance.

"She has a point," Anala murmured, fiddling with the bandages that covered her hand. She was just as angry as Mya but managed to contain it this time. However, ultimately, Jacob wouldn't just decide something on sheer instincts alone. He wasn't _that _stupid. "We could never trust Julien…like _ever_ but Jacob wouldn't do anything that wasn't beneficial for the Pirates."

"Except this _God damn_ stunt." Mya derided again.

"You know," Camille reflected briefly. She had been quiet majority of the meeting considering she wasn't exactly a Pirate _per say_. Overstepping her boundaries was her biggest concern at this point. However, she already made her voice known and there was no retracting the beginnings of her pronouncement. "You guys could just _not_ take the money…"

"Yeah! Excluding this month's rent, you guys have what? Five, ten grand left from the prize money. Not to mention, all of you have steady incomes and the club is bringin' in a shitload of business. I guess we're well off without Julien's help, right?" Moose added, then appealed to his fellow dancers for their agreement.

"_Wrong_," Amara sniffed condescendingly, gauging the dancers' attention. They couldn't tell what she was thinking as an impenetrable mask shadowed her features. "Try _two grand_ left and you and I both know that's barely enough," she retorted, tone sharp and steady. Her intense cobalt eyes raked the faces of her crewmates for a long moment.

They had to prepare for the inevitable because Julien could be a very unconventional character to deal with. Pleasant, manipulative and borderline narcissistic. But the truth of the matter was, the money _was_ running out. And in three months tops, there was the possibility of facing financial troubles with the bank yet again.

"Jesus, Mars! Will you at least _try_ to look on the Brightside…_for once_?" Legz muttered with a incensed grimace. "Not everything is as black and white as you make it seem."

The ex-mute didn't seem the least bit perturbed. "So we have jobs and the club is pulling in a little bit of more money, so what? We all know _that isn't enough_. As bad as this sounds, Julien could be _a lot_ of help to us." Amara's gaze shifted to Jason for a split second, but he was avoiding her eyes, staring down at his hands. She sighed then threaded her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Look, I know its not really my place to say anything after I basically ditched you guys; I wasn't there for the World Jam or when the bank took the Vault away. But we have to face the reality of the situation and realize, we need this money…_badly_."

"So that's it then?" Terence questioned sourly, "Take the money and let Julien and Sunni join the crew?"

Folding his arms across his chest, Jacob leaned against the wall. They all listened attentively as Amara meticulously explained the major flaw they had overlooked. There was no choice on the matter, was there? He finally answered with a great sigh, feeling emotionally heavier. "Yes…it's our…best option right now," he looked to the Pirates to be sure he was making the right decision. None verbally objected but they didn't look too pleased by the devastating outcome. "However, not at any cost do we let our guard down. We don't have to like them nor do we have to enjoy their company. Our main focus is to put on a great performance at the telethon and for the children. And nor Julien or Sunni are going to distract us from our goal, understand?"

The Pirates were uncertain for a brief moment. Jacob was right. The children were far more important than any feud that lingered between the two houses. The dancers' aspiration was to perform at their absolute best at this philanthropic event. Gone were the faltering and dispirited expressions of the crewmates and in their place were faces of determination, novelty, and hope. As they often did, the pseudo-family began to work themselves up into their rambunctious house's chant as bravado won over the need for the simplicity of words. The ambiance visibly lightened, any traces of apprehensiveness lost in their high-spirited cries of self-claimed victory.

Choosing not to join in, Moose decided instead to grasp Camille's hand tightly in his palm and in return, her animated coffee-brown eyes sparkled with understanding. She knew he _had_ to do this, but it was just finally confessing to his parents about his double life that had her concerned for him. The unknown outcome sent her heart hammering in her chest. The curly-haired boy half-smiled and whispered a hushed _thank you_ then spared Jacob an impish look, "Well then, that settles it…I guess we're dancing with the devil."

"Hm, the devil indeed."

* * *

**Oh snap, lol. Thank you for all the lovely reviews you beautiful people. You guys are super duper awesome! Please leave me a review and tell me what you think of this chapter. I hope it wasn't **_**too**_** boring and realistic.**

**Also, I have a supernatural fanfic in the making for Step Up. Its very different from my usual writings and I'm very apprehensive of posting it because this category isn't very known but its building slowly. I've had this idea for months and have been planning it since Christmas. I have the plot, the characters and everything ready. I even have a prologue written and I was wondering, would YOU want to read it? So in your review, tell if your interested it would be greatly appreciated! :)  
**

**Love, peace, and tranquility!**


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